Overcoming limitations

20-year-old Garv Sabharwal has been mostly dependent on his mother for decision making in every aspect of his life after he lost his vision in grade 6. With the guidance from National Association for the Blind (NAB), his parents were able to apply for a Disability certificate that helped him complete his Class 12 from a mainstream school. At NAB, he also underwent a basic computer training and a short advanced programme.

Born into a middle class family, his mother, a homemaker has left no stone unturned to visit every organization working with the blind to help her son live an independent life. She heard about Eyeway during her visits to other organizations and brought her son along to meet with the Eyeway counselors in Delhi so he could receive career guidance and valuable inputs from the team.

During the interaction with Eyeway, it was found that despite pursuing his Bachelors from a mainstream college, and surrounded by sighted people, Garv lacked confidence to make friends or interact openly with his classmates. Stigmatized by his disability he had low self-esteem that prevented him from exploring opportunities independently. He wanted to pursue a career in technology but was unsure on how to move forward.

On realizing the need for an intervention, Eyeway counselor apprised Garv about Nazar ya Nazariya series that showcases life stories of successful people living with blindness. This helped boost his confidence, shifting the focus on his abilities. He was also advised to subscribe to accessible online libraries and news portals to remain updated on the latest study material and news that would help him pick conversations with peers. In addition, he was advised to participate in a series of theatre workshops that would help in overcoming his fear of interacting with people. He was connected with a technology expert, Mr. Prashant Ranjan Verma, General Secretary of National Association for the Blind, Delhi to get guidance on various opportunities and new accessible technologies that can help him pursue his interest without any apprehensions.

Paying heed to the counselor’s suggestions, Garv is taking baby steps to integrate into a social life and overcome self -imposed limitations to live a fulfilling life.