A Visually Impaired Man's Goal Is To Give The Disabled A Vision

It's ditto with 1,250-odd people from the neighbourhood-each is determined to compete for a position in public life, brushing aside impediments that accompany impairment of speech, vision, or movement. And, there's not a better person to emulate than their 'leading light' of sorts-D. Rangaraj. He lost sight because of a weak optic nerve when he was a toddler, but not the vision and diligence to inch his way ahead: through school, a degree in arts, and a masters in English literature. He despises public sympathy as well as the scheme to earmark a quota in education and employment for the disabled. "If you are not competent, you must make way for one who is. Competence should be the sole criteria in education and for employment," says Rangaraj, 54.

But the hurdles that confronted Rangaraj at every step till he emerged as Karnataka's first visually impaired post-graduate in '71 prompted him to improve things for others. He and his wife Pramila set up abilities, a resource centre for the disabled, at Bangalore in '88. The initial impetus was to mitigate the acute shortage of braille books. Over the years, this organisation has produced tactile pictures for the visually impaired, twin vision books to help parents read along with the affected child, audio cassettes to supplement braille literature, a braille magazine, and training the sightless to work on computers fitted with a speech synthesiser or a sound blaster card. Besides, the parents of the disabled are trained in basic health care, nutrition, physiotherapy, and self-help skills for the child. The result: this organisation has helped the blind from remote towns in north-eastern states to pass out as graduates and take up jobs.

"We also motivate the disabled to help other disabled people," says Rangaraj, referring to a unique self-employment scheme under Vikasa, a community-based rehabilitation programme being implemented in over 140 villages in rural outreaches of Bangalore district. Called "sheep to sheep", the disabled are supported in sheep rearing, but have to pass on the first lamb to a disabled person in the neighbourhood to retain the spirit of this scheme.

Children like Subramani are being provided health and medical care and vocational training in carpentry, tailoring, book binding and in teaching braille. A majority of the children covered under Vikasa are those afflicted with polio, cerebral palsy and some diseases caused by malnutrition. In some cases, the organisation has functioned as a catalyst to enable Government schemes to reach the disabled in the region. "The emphasis is on rehabilitation of these people within the community, and not to move them to the cities or special institutions set up elsewhere," says Rangaraj.

From time to time they do face hurdles in raising money. The projects at abilities as well as the schemes at Vikasa were initially funded by Action Aid, but the organisation now relies on donations. "We are just about managing the expenses every month.," says Rangaraj. Apart from the funds crunch, they've had to cope with problems posed by small-time politicians, who have harassed the staff employed at rehabilitation centres for free access to the public address system, furniture and shamianas.

Even after having done so much for the disabled for over a decade, without any recognition, Rangaraj laughs at the suggestion of an award. " Nobody need tell me that I have done a good job. Their success (of the disabled) is our reward. It's the satisfaction of having helped someone that keeps me going." If you need to know more or want to send donations, call abilities on 080-5252480 or 080-5250437.