Mohammed Rihan

When Rihan suddenly lost  his eyesight due to retinal detachment in 2008 he was appearing for his class 12th  exams. His life came to a stand still as his confidence plummeted. He could not think of any job opportunities, as with his meager eligibility of 12th pass along with his deteriorating vision, he was in his mind, virtually unemployable. He became home bound and even feared to step out of his home to nearby places in Lucknow.

When he heard our radio show in February-March 2011, he was motivated to do something productive in his life, like the hoards of other people featured in our Radioshow. This helped him regain his confidence and he started believing in himself once again. Consequently, he contacted us in March 2011 seeking information regarding job placement.

We in turn motivated him to resume his studies, which would lead to a wider scope of job opportunities. We informed him about the usage of computer with the help of screen readers like JAWS, which make work for persons with vision impairment possible. To learn computer with the help of screen reader, we connected him with Rehabilitation Society of the Visually impaired (RSVI) in Lucknow.

Given the fact that he had not lost his vision completely and was able to see to some extent, we suggested him to consult a low vision specialist who could help him to optimally use his residual vision.

On our suggestion, he took admission in computer course in RSVI the very next day after our counselling. He went for a low vision consultation after a month of our counseling in Indira Gandhi Eye Hospital of Lucknow, where he was equipped with a magnifier. Not wanting to waste another moment he enthusiastically took admission in graduation program in May-July 2011.

In his mind the computer training was really helpful to him, because not only did it boost his confidence and make him independent – by enabling him to make notes in class using a computer, it also connected him with many other visually impaired people, which helped him realize the immense potential inside him. On 3rd October 2013, he very cheerfully shared with us that  he is about to finish his 3rd year of graduation. He is also enrolled in computer classes in two NGOs in Lucknow and has cleared 2 “O” level exams in computer on his own merit. He plans to now do either B.Ed or for M.A. degree after his graduation. When we last spoke to him, he thanked Eyeway Helpdesk  for the support, counselling and intervention.