THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLINDKARNATAKA BRANCH

Lend your helping hand to lead from darkness to light

INTRODUCTION

NAB KB is non government organization registered with the Registrar of Societies Act 1960-S No.3679/78-79. The National Association for the Blind was established in the year 1977. We cater to the needs of the Visually Challenged Persons all over the state. For the holistic development of the Visually Challenged , NAB has established a wide range of motivating projects and dedicated services in the field of Education, Training, Prevention of Blindness, Employment, General Welfare of the persons and we charge no fee for the same.

TRAINING AND SERVICES

Mobility Training Centre - Independence begins from oneself and we render scientifically structured orientation and mobility training to help the blind to move independently and with confidence.

Mobility training was established in the year 1982

The Visually Impaired people are trained for six weeks into an independent traveler. During the Mobility training, they are taught on daily living skills, like shaving, bathing, pressing clothes etc., Constant counseling is done to build confidence and motivation.

Technical Training Centre - This training is for two years in fitters trade. They have theory classes and workshop calculation in the technical syllabus.

The Technical Training Institute was established in the year 1982

They are trained to work on machineries like Power Press, Drilling, Injection Moulding, Paper Cover Making and Lathe. The qualification for this training is 10th class with knowledge of Braille & English. In addition to this we provide them training in making of office files & envelopes, handmade paper by recycling waste paper.

Rehabilitation and Basic Training Centre - This training takes care of the uneducated Visually Challenged individuals making them worthy and useful citizens of the nation through vocational

skills like Candle making, Mat making, Chalk making, Rope making, recaning and weaving.Rehabilitation and Basic Training Institute was established in the year 1980

Smt Ratna Atmaram Computer Training Centre - They are two types of training, the basic and the advance. In the basic they are imparted with skills to work on Windows and MS Office applications. In the advance level they are trained programming languages such as VB, SQL Server etc. The Computer training was established in the year 2000

This training is one of its kinds in the country which is certified by NIIT.

Inclusive Education Programme - Integration with mainstream starts at an early stage. We first identify the Visually Impaired kids, admit them to the regular day school, thus allowing them to integrate with the normal child at an early stage. Education progamme : since the inception of NAB KBWe have around 30 units in the rural parts of the state along with Bangalore rural and urban units. Our teacher gives regular visits to these schools and educate them along with their peers.

Department of Employment and Placement service - After successful training in the training centres, the Department of Employment and Placement Services support the visually impaired in assisting by identifying jobs thereby helping the Visually Impaired Person to become an independent earning member of the society, This department has the credit of being awarded in national level Several times as one of the best Placement Centre in the country for the People with Disabilities.

The Department of Employment was established in the year 1977

We have placed the VI’s in factories, garment industries, banking sectors, IT and Corporate sector establishments.

Deafblind Unit – This takes care of people with multiple disabled. Blindness associated with other disability are trained in teaching daily living skills. These kids are trained by the special educators along with their parent in the Deafblind Centre.

Deafblind unit was established in the year 2000The adult deaf blind are taught communication skills, Braille knowledge and computer skills to fetch them a meaningful life.

Library services - Our unique library enriches the knowledge of desired students with Braille books, Books for Low vision and CCTV to read magazines and newspapers. Facilities are provided to listen to books in the form of cassettes and CD’s.

Industrial Training Centre for Blind/Deaf - The ITCB offers one year training program for the Blind. The intake is 25 per year. The facility is offered to persons with other disabilities like Hearing Impaired etc.

ITCB, Mysore unit was established in the year 1989

They are trained on Light Engineering, Re-caning, Plastic Injection, Moulding, Coir Rope making, Electrical Wiring etc.,

Community Eye Health Projects - We have projects situated in rural and backward areas also. Our field workers identify these Visually Impaired people in the rural areas and provide rehabilitation to their doorsteps.

CEH was established in 1984

With this project the services are taken to the rural parts of the state.

Low Vision Centre This centre caters does the screening for the people with eye problem and provides low vision aids.

This centre was started in the year August 2004

Computerized Mini Braille Press- printing of Braille books like textbooks, novels, religious books, question papers for assessment of trainees

Was started in the year 1997 and renovated by GE in the year 2009Supplied 17,000 volumes of text books from Class I to Class 10 throughout the State of Karnataka in 2004 .

Project ‘Jyothi ’ - Through this project, we identify the individuals with eye problems like cataract, juvenile cataract and other curable eye problems and assist & overcome, recommend surgeries for the curable blind, refer the incurable for the rehabilitation programmes.

Every month around 500 cataract surgeries are done free of cost to the patient.

Kala chetana- started in the year 2009. This centre for blind is setup for recreation of the Visually Impaired people to enrich their talents in singing, music, etc.,

Department of Home science : This was started in the year 2008. To make the Visually Challenged independent in all aspects this was introduced as part of the training. Basic home science skills in lighting the gas stove, using mixer, preparation of coffee & tea, small dishes are taught in this centre.

SwayamSidda - Free Hostel for empowering blind girls Facilities have been created for the stay & study in colleges for Blind/VI girls who have passed their 10th Standard examinations. At present only 5-6 girls can be accommodated & we are planning to build a separate hostel with about 6-7 rooms & can accommodate 18-20 girl students. We solicit your generous donations in building this hostel. The total estimated cost is about Rs 40-45 lakhs.

Pediatric Eye Care ServicesIn collaboration with Sri Sankara Eye Hospital & Sight Savers International(SSI) a joint project has been launched to cover all children of age group 0-16 in the Bangalore Urban district, Mandya & Hassan for detection, prevention & cure of Eye problems

NAB KB Hostel – We provide Hostel facilities to all these trainees with free boarding and lodging and at any point of time we have around 80 -100 visually impaired trainees in our Hostel taking different kind of training.

Project SISHU VIDYA

Project SIshu Vidya is our new and unique programme that will start functioning in the coming academics along with our already existing inclusive education programme. Through survey we have identified that there are atleast 25000 Visually challenged children in school going age who needs educational assistance. For this we need to scale up in a higher range. Project sishyu Vidya focuses on this in reaching the goal “ Right to education” “ Education to all”.

Project “ SUNETHRA”

Project Sunethra is a mobile eye care service that visits schools with children from economically poor background. These children are screened to identify the eye problem at an early stage and are provided with all the necessary medical assistance in preventing blindness.

CREDENTIALS

Six times awarded Dr Dhurbshah Pallonji Award for outstanding work in the field of employment to the Visually Impaired Challenged achievement in Employment.

National Award during the year 1997 for highest placements

Best Organization Award - by the Government of Karnataka in 2004.

The NCPEDP _ Shell Helen Keller Award for outstanding placement in 2004

National Award during the year and 2004 for outstanding placement in field of Blind Welfare

Our Chief Employment Officer was awarded by the Government of Karnataka during the year 2005 for outstanding work in the field of employment.

For the sake of honor to Dr(Mrs)Saroja Ramachandra – President by Rotary Club, Bangalore in 2006

Alpaiwalla Award by NAB (India) to Dr(Mrs)Saroja Ramachandra – President in 2008

Honored by other NGO’s and Corporates like APD, CISCO, Mphasis etc., for best services in the field of Welfare.

On occasion of world disabled day, the District administration honored NAB for its services to people with disabilities in Gundlupet area, Chamarajnagar District Karnataka.

Our Integrated teacher-of Chikkaballapur District was honored by the Government of Karnataka Dept of Disabled Welfare in Bangalore as best resource teacher.

Dr(Smt) Saroja Ramachandra –President, NABKB was honored by His Excellency, H R Bhardwaj, Governor of Karnataka on occasion of 05th anniversary of NFB for services delivered by NABKB in the field of Blind Welfare.

Mr M Srinivas - CEO, NAB KB was felicitated by for blind welfare on occasion of Loui Braille Day, Sahana Charitable Trust.