Barka Al Bakry, is deputy chairperson, Al Noor Association for the Blind, Oman.
No matter where you go in the world people are ultimately the same - the nature of their problems, happiness and achievements are all identical.
I was born and brought up in Mombasa, Kenya, and attended Kianda College in the capital, Nairobi. I won a British Council scholarship to study for my undergraduate degree in Social Sciences at Swansea University, Wales.
It came about because of my work with Kenya Social Development Council, an umbrella Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) coordinating the operation of other Kenyan NGOs involved with social work.
I was invited to address various clubs and gatherings due to my association with the British Council. I also visited old people's homes, youth clubs and centres for the physically challenged.
My study sojourn in the UK was truly an experience of a lifetime barring the initial problems of getting acclimatised to the cold weather and the different cultural environment.
I had been involved with the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) while at school and interacted with people from different nationalities at the time. My time in the UK expanded the scope of my interactions. It truly shored up my confidence in addition to teaching me to appreciate the world.
After completing my undergraduate studies, I studied for a year at Hendon College of Technology, London. Upon graduating, Shell in London recruited me to be attached to an oil refinery in Mombasa, Kenya.
I worked for three years with Shell before returning to Oman in 1976 to join my husband whom I had married in 1974.
I then worked with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for 18 years in the field of economic development.
My responsibilities included coordinating with UN agencies on identifying, formulating, monitoring and evaluating projects supporting the development of Oman. I also worked in social development monitoring 400 community centres.
In 1993, I retired from the UN to set up a business concern.
Three years later, I became part of a commissioning team to set up the first private hospital in Oman, Al Shati Hospital. However, in 2002, when my children finished their education, I devoted myself to doing things that I had always wanted to do.
I was busy with socially-oriented projects since 1990 when I was one of the members to establish the first NGO in Oman - Association for the Welfare of Handicapped Children. I was also one of the founding members for the Early Intervention Centre in 1999 while I was associated with Al Shati Hospital.
Al Noor Association for the Blind ...
... initially operated from Suweiq (a small town near Sohar) but was formally registered in 1997. In 1999, ten of us were appointed to restart the association in Muscat.
Till then I had not been directly involved with visually or aurally challenged people. The first time I met an individual with special needs was at the Early Intervention centre in Quriyat (a seaside town 100 km from Muscat) where I met a bright young aurally challenged girl.
She was an outstanding student but could not enrol in the school for the deaf in Muscat because she had no relatives or friends with whom she could stay (in Muscat).
I adopted her and she went to school where she was trained to use a computer. She worked for three years in the Human Resources department at Muscat Private Hospital.
Now she is married and mother of a baby girl.
I believe people with special needs possess certain characteristics that we must be sensitive to. They are different but are no less than any of us.
It was with this thought in mind that we started re-examining the needs of the visually impaired. We also focused on the kind of awareness we had to raise for them in society. It was also crucial to identify what we could or could not achieve.
Spreading awareness
Of the 11,000 visually impaired in Oman, 50 per cent are 60 years and above; the rest are school children. We are focusing our energies on training and employing those aged between 16 and 60 years.
Our biggest challenge is to ensure that every visually impaired person has some kind of employment. Initially we travelled throughout Oman, holding meetings, lectures and walks to raise awareness about the visually impaired.
Every year, we celebrate the International Day of the White Cane by holding various events.
We also work with the media in encouraging the visually impaired to enter the mainstream by showing that their skills annd abilities can be utilised in various fields.
In fact, it is as important to raise awareness about the visually impaired among the general public as it is to change the negative attitudes that they have about themselves. Some had been made to believe that their worlds and lives were limited simply because they lacked sight.
Positive developments
Over the years, the visually impaired have become telephone operators, teachers ... The advent of information technology has opened new avenues and opportunities for the visually impaired.
Recently, a telecommunications company in Oman recruited two visually impaired people to be switchboard operators. I think eventually they'll progress to telemarketing if they excel at the switchboard.
We are also considering visiting Pune, India, where we are planning to train certain visually impaired people in physiotherapy.
The visually impaired are now developing a positive and confident approach to the world as they are exposed to the latest technology and are keen to equip themselves with new skills.
Al Noor Association for the Blind has been developing services to facilitate and enhance the lives of the visually impaired. We now have a fully-equipped IT lab where members are trained to use the computer through the audio-software programme, Hal.
We also have a gymnasium and a library of books in Braille, among other things.
The future looks bright
The way of life for the visually-impaired has changed as is the stereotypical image of them being dependent on others. In fact, a lot of them do not even use the white cane because they can sense their way around, thanks to their heightened senses of touch and sound.
Many visually impaired people have their own families and are hugely aspirational about their children. They want them to excel in their studies, attend university and get good jobs.
They possess distinctive abilities. For example, five totally visually impaired members of this organisation wrote and presented a play about their lives. Many are poets and love singing ... Around the world, visually impaired people are emerging from their shell and doing great things.
