The L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) and Microsoft India Development Centre (MSIDC) on Friday jointly launched a new initiative to support the visually challenged here in Vijayawada on Friday. The initiative is a Mobility and Sensory Stimulation Park at LVPEI’s Kode Venkatadri Chowdary Campus in Tadigadapa. A helpline centre at Hyderabad was remotely launched from Vijayawada on Friday.

Addressing the gathering at the launch, LVPEI’s Founder and Chairman Gullapalli Nageswara Rao said that the park was a new experiment of its kind. Elaborating on the functioning of the park he said that it will expose visually challenged children to non-visual sensory experience such as touch, hearing, smell, taste and residual vision. “The experience at the park is expected to improve their posture, manual dexterity, mental abilities and mobility,” he added.

The head of the rehabilitation centre Beula Chirsty added that they would also be taught various mobility techniques and general public would be sensitised to the needs of the visually challenged through vision stimulators.

Dr. Christy explained that vision rehabilitation can bring about substantial improvements in their lives, but she added that less than 12 per cent of the global population has access to rehabilitation intervention.

A Helpline project launched today in Hyderabad, she said that it was initiated to provide information and counsel any visually impaired person through web or telephone.

“Almost all aspects concerned with impairment would be dealt with and it was open to all. Anyone can reach the Helpline from Monday to Saturday, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. by calling +91-40-30612841/ 2842 or email: rehabhelpline@lvpei.org.

Mr. Srinivas Prasad said that every year Microsoft runs a global programme to encourage employees to give back something to the society. “We have chosen eye care, as being in the software sector we understand the need of good eye care and hence we have partnered with LVPEI and Sankara Eye Care in Bangalore,” said Mr. Srinivas Prasad.

Source: The Hindu