Bridging the Gaps in the Path to Independence

Twenty-two-year-old Basavaraj was born blind to a poor family in Bijapur district of Karnataka. His parents who worked as daily wage labourers, couldn’t afford educating their children. But as the only visually impaired child among four siblings, a relative suggested his parents enroll him in a special school.

After successfully completing Class X and XII, Basavaraj aspired to get a job so he could contribute to the family income. The lack of job opportunities for visually impaired people demotivated him. For two years, he kept trying to apply for government reserved jobs. Since he was dependent on sighted people in the cybercafé for the application, he would often face problems and end up with errors in submission.

Luckily, Basavaraj heard about Eyeway from Namma Vaani platform, an audio-based social media platform that supports the needs of persons with disabilities through ideas, stories and opportunities sharing. He called the helpline enquiring about job opportunities. He also shared his bitter experiences about the lack of support for people like him and how many others faced the same issues in rural parts of the state.

The Eyeway counselor was quick to connect him with Udyog Mitra, a platform created by visually impaired volunteers who provide public job notifications and also help blind and visually impaired candidates apply for these positions. As a result, Basavaraj was able to apply for a Multi-Tasking post at Employees’ State Insurance Corporation. He is now awaiting a written examination in the month of May.

The Helpdesk counselor strongly recommended him to pursue higher education to improve his employment prospects. He was advised to enrol for a BA degree while preparing for the government job. Eyeway also suggested him to achieve personal independence by acquiring mobility and computer training, simultaneously.

Many blind people like Basavaraj lack proper guidance and resources to move ahead in life. Eyeway bridges that gap, helping them move forward on the path to independence.