20% of blind people globally live in India.
Bureau Report
WASHINGTON, DC : In 1955, Helen Keller, the American political activist and first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor’s degree in the United States, visited Bombay to lay the cornerstone for NAB (National Association for the Blind), India’s first workshop for the blind.
Perkins, the Water town, Massachusetts-based institution where Keller received her education and became its most famous pupil, and the National Association for the Blind, India (NAB) have now announced a new and dynamic collaboration that will help to accelerate growth of programs in India for people who are blind.
For the first time in its 183 year history, Perkins will work with an international partner not only to build capacity and expertise to educate children who are blind or deafblind, but also to cultivate financial support outside the United States.
“NAB, India is one of Perkins’ oldest and most valued international allies,” said Perkins president Steven Rothstein. “They are a model of commitment and vision not only in India, but for the world. Our mutual belief in the power of education to change lives brought us together and will sustain our energies in this newest chapter of our joint efforts.”
Noting that 20 percent of the individuals in the world who are blind live in India, Rothstein added: “The overwhelming majority of students who are blind and deaf-blind do not attend school.”
By creating new opportunities for Indian donors to support the work of NAB, India and Perkins International partners, those organizations will be able to deliver more services to more people more effectively.
According to Perkins International director Dr. W. Aubrey Webson, “leveraging our longstanding affiliation with NAB, India will help all of our partners here expand programs and reach a larger segment of the population who live with visual impairments and multiple disabilities.”
Collaboration has always been characteristic of Perkins’ work, whether on their school campus near Boston, or around the world. Founded in 1829, it reaches more than a 650,000 people each year in 67 countries around the world.
In addition to long-established relationships with organizations such as Voice & Vision India, a national training center initiated from Perkins, Helen Keller Institute for Deaf and Deafblind (Mumbai), SOBTI parent-initiated vocational training center (Mumbai), Worth Trust (Katpadi), Blind People’s Association (Ahmadabad), Vidya Sagar (Chennai), Clarke School (Chennai) and many others, Perkins educational and technical expertise has been shared in schools and centers throughout India.
Perkins is also committed to promoting braille literacy in India. Literacy through braille is critically important for students who are blind. Perkins has a long-standing partnership to assemble braille machines with Worth Trust and is promoting braille in schools.
“Strengthening partnerships has become even more important during difficult economic times where the face of philanthropy is changing dramatically,” said K. Ramkrishna NAB, India Honorary Secretary General, in a statement from Mumbai. “The alliance between Perkins and NAB, India will establish novel ways for partners to expand vitally needed services for individuals who are blind and deafblind.”