Bible Society helps blind people
take charge of their lives

Writing Braille using a frame (slate) and style. Braille is written by punching the letters with the style from right to left. Photo: German BS/Ruprecht Veigel (GER05DJ-3.JPG)

CONGO, Republic — Clients of the Viens et Vois (‘Come and See’) centre in the grounds of Bible House in Brazzaville welcomed Bible Society General Secretary Etienne Diatha and members of its Come and See committee on March 9 for a ceremony at which they were presented with a range of specialised equipment.

Opportunities

The centre offers blind and visually impaired people a wide range of opportunities, including learning to read in Braille, borrowing books from a library, learning English, participating in music groups and making goods for sale. Many of these activities, though, need special equipment which is often expensive.

When the Bible Society and its partners opened the centre in May 2004 (see World Report 388/17) one of their main aims was to empower blind and visually impaired people and to give them the skills they needed to become less marginalised from mainstream society.

Equipment

In line with this policy, it was the users themselves who made the necessary arrangements to receive a set of equipment consisting of 30 white canes, 30 Braille frames, 30 styles and 10 Cubarithms (see panel for an explanation of how these items are used).

This gift, worth almost CFA Fr 1.3 million (US$2,572), was funded by France’s Association Valentin Haüy, which exists to assist blind and visually impaired people in their everyday lives. Looking to the future, there are now plans to expand the centre and to establish a further three.

Specialised equipment for blind and visually impaired people: how is it used? A white cane allows blind and visually impaired people to build up a mental map of their surroundings, including the size and location of objects. Using a cane can greatly increase their independence. A Cubarithm teaches arithmetic layout. The device is made up of a work board, 10 mm metal cubes with Braille characters and a magnet for easy removal. A Braille frame or slate (see opposite) is a plastic or metal grid with lines of pierced square cells. It is placed over the sheet of paper when writing Braille, allowing the user to orientate on the page and to place the Braille dots in the correct position. A style is a pointed metal instrument used in conjunction with a frame to write Braille dots. It is available with various types of handle.

(WR 393/13 - 06.05) [1 photo]