World Braille Day: 5 Tips to Empower Kids towards The Visually Impaired

World Braille Day is celebrated on 4 January every year. Louis Braille (A French Educator) invented Braille, a printing and writing mechanism for the visually impaired.

Braille is knowledge, and knowledge is power.

Louis Braille

Beyond just dots and dashes comes inclusion. An understanding that “they” are “us”. Let us on this World Braille Day do our bit to help kids dissolve the gap. Also, carve a path for empathy, inclusion, love, care and above all an assurance of the well-being of our differently-abled mates. And what better way/day to lay the foundation for our kids than January 4?

Black (2005) starring Rani Mukherji flashes into my subconscious the moment I think of a blind/visually impaired person. The journey of Michelle from a vulnerable and misunderstood brat to a well-read and calm woman is what the plot of the story revolves around.

5 Tips to Empower Kids for The Visually Impaired on World Braille Day

1 Sensory Exploration: Understanding the Visually Impaired

To understand the world of the blind, we need to have a glimpse of their world. The Blindfold game can be our help here. This can help kids connect to the world of the visually impaired by creating an image of the object in their mind.

The Blindfold Game: Touch

Blindfold your child and give a handful of objects to guess like fruits and vegetables. They might find it difficult to guess in the beginning. Help your child navigate by sensing the object through shapes.

Also, guide them through the stairs to prevent them from falling.

Next, take them outdoors and ask them to identify objects like grass, pebbles and any other regular thing.

The Blindfold Game: Smell

Identification via smell comes next. Make a list of various sources of fragrance like flowers, the smell of mud, lemon and alike. Give them clues to identify the smell. Ask them to focus and the object by their smell.

Also Read: How to care for elderly at home: For kids

The Blindfold Game: Hear

Audiobooks, documentaries and movies can be a great way for kids to sense the world of their specially aided mates. Ask them to close their eyes and craft a world by just listening to the description.

Are you ready to explore the magic of audiobooks? You can try the 30-day free trial of Amazon Audible.

2 Braille Basics: Getting to Know the Resources of the Visually Impaired

What is Braille?

Braille is a medium of writing, catered especially for the visually impaired. It consists of elevated six dots arranged in rows. The different arrangement of dots makes every letter unique.

It is a universally adopted writing system for the blind available as Braille embossers, Refreshable Braille displays and Braille keyboards.

To make braille more relatable to kids, grab some play dough and make six little circles. Arrange them in 2-3 rows as a representation of letters. You can find the representation of letters PharmaBraille.

Ask kids to be a part of the Braille game where each one can learn to write their names. The one who makes it first can be awarded with appreciation.

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3 Storytelling and Representation: The Old Tales and Present

Kids often relate to the old tales. Narrate the stories of famous blind people of today’s era also. Educate them how despite their blindness, these personalities have been an inspiration in their respective fields.

Surdas

The famous 16th-century poet is known for masterpieces like Sur Sagar, Surdas K Sabad and more. He was an integral part of the Bhakti Movement. His compositions resonate with the audiences even today.

Dhritarashtra

The famous Blind King from the Mahabharata.

Beno Zephine

India got her first fully visually impaired Civil Servant with Beno Zephine cracking the Indian Foreign Service(IFS) at 343 rank. Her determination to consistently listen to the All India Radio (AIR) 9 o’clock since childhood can be an inspiration to kids.

Srikant Bolla

Srikant Bolla is the first International visually impaired who got a chance to study at Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (MIT). He was initially denied admission to even schools. He overcame this barrier and set up Bollant Industries and was also featured in the Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list.

4 Communication and Understanding: Time to Interact

Now that kids have a basic understanding of the blind, it is time for them to meet these mates in real. You can also ask kids to follow these instructions:

1. Listen: Kids often tend to interrupt between the talks. Ask them to have patience and listen to what the other person is communicating.
2. Zero Assumptions: Educate kids about asking before offering help. We often see people help the blind for the sake of helping. Ask first! Don’t grab their arm or guide them without permission.
3. Give and Respect their Space: Just because a person is blind, he is not supposed to be crowded. Offer to hold doors open or guide them around obstacles if they ask.
4. Address them as equals: Make them feel comfortable.

5 A Vow to help: Ensure Well-being

Let us all take a vow on this World Braille Day to help the visually impaired in the best possible way. Being a champion for the blind doesn’t require grand gestures; it starts with small actions and a big heart.

Kids can do the following to make a difference:

Raise awareness

Talking to friends and family about the challenges of the blind. Educating them about ways to help.

Support initiatives

Organisations like the National Association For The Blind(NAB) cater towards the overall development and well-being of the visually impaired. Kids can take time to volunteer and raise funds for such platforms.

Challenge stereotypes

Some misconceptions about the blind need to fade away. Here is a list of these misconceptions:

1. All blind people see nothing. Some people have partial eyesight, colour perception and blurry sight.
2. They are fully dependent. With the help of technology and skills, they can easily navigate without other’s help.
3. They’re unhappy or depressed. Blindness is just an aspect of their lives. They experience the full spectrum of emotions, happiness, sadness, and everything in between.

Conclusion

World Braille Day isn’t just a day, it’s a doorway to empathy, understanding and inclusivity. In this article, we discussed ways to help children forge a meaningful connection with the visually impaired. The inclusion of “us” with “them” takes time. So parents, do your bit and see the results. Let us also celebrate this day beyond just the calender. Let us resonate with the words of Louis Braille,” Braille is knowledge and knowledge is power.”

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