Eleven students from schools across the country, who are either partially visually impaired or completely blind, on Tuesday benefitted from a donation of laptops by the Guyana Society for the Blind through sponsors in observance of International Day for Persons with Disabilities.
The students share a photo with GCOPD members at the presentation
The simple presentation was made to the students at the society’s High Street, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, Headquarters.
In opening remarks, Ganesh Singh, a longstanding disability advocate and member of the Guyana Council of Organizations for Persons with Disability (GCOPD) and Society for the Blind, explained that this project was conceived to help children advance in school. This, he noted, was birthed after partnering with Shelly Singh, a visually-impaired person who reached out to have the business community donate computers.
“This project was conceptualised a very long time ago to give children who are blind and visually impaired laptops to children who are in the school system but because of the lack of resources from the Guyana Council, we were not able to execute…She was able to raise twelve laptops that will be given to children from Region Two, Four, Three and Ten,” he explained.
While reflecting on how he benefitted from a computer during his university years, Singh emphasised that the importance of assisting these students with disability to have full access to education.
“So we are hoping that with this, the children can have a much better opportunity for a meaningful education because I can explain to you how important a computer is to someone who is blind…so without that computer, I would be lost even with the work I do on a daily basis, and that’s been at the forefront of advocating for children who are blind and visually impaired to have computers,” Singh noted.
Meanwhile, President of the Society for the Blind, Cecil Morris and Chairman for GCOPD highlighted that these efforts are to ensure its members and other persons can gain access to education and further job opportunities.
“One of the things that we want to do is make certain that persons with disability are equipped to access the educational programmes in Guyana and because of this, we are vigorously trying to get person with disabilities to understand that it’s important that you have a good background of education so that you can be equipped for the workforce of Guyana”.
This, according to him, can prove that persons with disabilities can contribute just as much to Guyana.
This year’s observance is held under the theme “Promoting the participation of persons with disabilities and their leadership, taking action on the 2030 development agenda”.
Some of the sponsors for the devices are Edward B Beharry, R Sookraj Cambio and Hand in Hand Insurance Company.
