This 28-year-old woman plans to change lives of visually-challenged children of Trivandrum
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With a white cane in hand and guided by her inner light, Tiffany Brar, the 28-year-old visually-impaired woman, has been travelling across the state, changing the lives of similar people with her noble initiatives.
This time, Tiffany, founder of Jyothirgamaya Foundation, intends to shed light on the lives of visually-challenged children by opening a preparatory school/kindergarten in the city.
Probably the first-of-its-kind in the state, the school was inaugurated by Health Minister KK Shailaja the other day. It functions in a rented building in Vayalikada on the Kuravankonam Road.
Tiffany, who lost her eyesight when she was six months old, said the pre-school was aimed to empower and teach blind children at an early age.
“I had to face many hurdles during my school years. I don't want that to happen to any visually-impaired children. Due to the lack of pre-schools for such children, parents are forced to send them to special schools. Through this venture, I hope to provide them with the best education at a young age,” said Tiffany.
In the first phase, the pre-school will train six children in Braille, usage of technology, games and other curricular skills. A Braille kit will be provided to each child. All these are expected to make them ready for an inclusive school setup. Two teachers who have been equipped with special education skills will train the children.
According to Tiffany, she had to face many hurdles in her school life, from facing discrimination to not being provided with the Braille Books. She said, “At the age of five, I flew back from Britain to Kerala. On my first day at school, the teacher asked us to open the 121st page of a book, which I couldn't do. That was when everyone realised that I was blind.” Tiffany says she was given Braille Books only two days before the exams.
For more than four years, Tiffany has been helping visually-impaired through Jyothirgamaya. Thanks to her NGO, more than 80 are working in different fields. Eight students were given residential training courses. “All of them have got placements,” she said.
Tiffany has also received the national award for the 'best role model' instituted by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities under the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.