Twenty-six-year-old Navnath Mudolkar was born sighted to a low income family in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra. He lost his father early, and his mother struggled to raise the family, as a daily wage labourer, battling with her own vision and hearing challenges.

Navnath started losing his eyesight during Class 7. Due to financial constraints and lack of proper eyecare facilities in his village, he remained confined to the four walls of his home, after he lost his vision. For nearly two decades, he lost out on education and skilling as he lacked awareness around living life with blindness.
Things took a surprising turn when he met with another visually impaired person who introduced him to basic mobility skills, making it easier for Navnath to step out independently. He also learned about the Eyeway Helpdesk, where he calls regularly to resolve queries since 2018.

He learned about several government provisions for persons with blindness through Eyeway. Recently he sought detailed information about the Antyodaya ration scheme. The counsellor provided comprehensive guidance about the application procedure. However, when Navnath visited the local rationing office, officials rejected his application, claiming persons with disabilities were ineligible.

The Helpdesk counsellor advised him to approach the Tehsil Officer and prepared him to further escalate the matter to the District Collector if necessary. Navnath visited the said office, articulating his challenging journey of repeatedly visiting rationing offices and Gram Panchayat over 3-4 months without success.

After some time and consistent intervention from the counsellor, the officer instructed the concerned officials to process Navnath’s application and provide the scheme benefits on a priority basis.

Successfully obtaining his ration card, Navnath now receives monthly benefits and, more importantly, has discovered a path to self-reliance. Before connecting with Eyeway, he felt entirely helpless and isolated. Now, he looks forward to accessing his rights and gradually improving his quality of life.

Team Eyeway