Blind and visually impaired people are often excluded from the mainstream, because of the barriers in the physical environment as well as a negative mindset towards them. Many a times, their dependency or vulnerability makes them easy targets for exploitation. 

But not every disabled person is weak. 30-year-old Sonu Kumar lives in a village in Vaishali district of Bihar. Born to a family of farmers, he and his two brothers are visually impaired. They never got a chance to go to school or step out of their village. 

Sonu first came in contact with Eyeway four years ago when he wanted to avail his disability pension. Since then, he has been in touch about various government provisions and schemes. He was also guided to pursue a rehabilitation program, which can enable him to run a small business of his own. 

He recently called our Helpdesk regarding a dispute on a stretch of land owned by his family. He feared that the villagers along with the Grampanchayat officials were taking undue advantage of the brothers’ disability and trying to construct a road on their private land. Guided by the counselor, Sonu filed a written complaint in the District Collector’s office. Awaiting an official reply, he is ready to pursue the matter legally with the help of references provided by our counselor. 

For now the construction work around his family owned land has been paused. Sonu refuses to cower under any pressure. He is hopeful that the administrative and legal system will uphold his rights as an equal citizen of the country. 

As part of Eyeway’s objectives to empower persons with vision impairment, we not only guide and inform, but also help them in their fight against discrimination. 

Team Eyeway