Twenty-three-year-old Amit Bhise was born sighted to a low income family in Sangli district of Maharashtra. When he was two, he developed a high fever and was given an overdose of injections for the same. Soon after, Amit lost his eyesight.
 
While Amit’s siblings went to school, he stayed trapped in the confines of his home. His parents had no awareness for education of a blind child. It was only when Amit turned 11, that a survey was conducted by a local special school for the blind. The surveyors were identifying blind students in the vicinity in order to enroll them.
 
Amit’s parents were made aware of the need to educate their son, and he was admitted to the school where he completed studies till Class X. The boy learned to read and write in Braille as well as picked up mobility skills to navigate independently in and outside of his home.
 
But he needed help with higher education for which he reached out to the Eyeway Helpdesk in Mumbai. The counselor motivated him to finish his graduation in Arts. He was also advised to learn using computer with screen reading software and pick up some basic English skills which is a mandatory requirement for any job.
 
Amit enrolled in the Maharashtra State Certificate in Information Technology (MSCIT) course at the Victoria Memorial School for the Blind. During the examination, he encountered trouble finding a scribe to help him write. The counsellor approach a few volunteer organisations and arranged for a scribe.
 
The Eyeway counsellor also guided Amit to prepare for competitive examination which would open up government sector job opportunities for him. Following the advice, he prepared and appeared for banking exam and qualified for a job at the Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI).
 
Redirecting persons with vision impairment to opportunities of education and training, helps them find employment, which in turn creates the route for independent living.
 
Team Eyeway