The Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC), St Xavier’s College has organised a two-day event Antarchakshu, wherein people with normal sight will be made to experience the problems faced by the visually-challenged in the field of education, financial services and employment wearing a blindfold.
The initiative will see participants experience constraints faced by the visually challenged for 45 minutes to one hour with their eyes blindfolded. The event will be held on September 14 and 15 at the institute’s campus.
Dr Sam Taraporewala, director, XRCVC said, “By focusing on the areas concerning education, financial services and employment opportunities, we realise the shortcomings of our systems, which are often taken for granted.”
“The initiative strives to engage people from all walks of life, and understand and feel the lives of persons with disabilities. Antarchakshu 2012 is an eye-opener about a world rarely explored before,” said Dr Taraporewala.
Explaining about the various tasks that participants will face blindfolded, he said that in the education branch, XRCVC sought to explore various techniques used by the visually-challenged students — especially while studying Mathematics and Science. Focus will also be on the availability of printed resources in this context and challenges related to faulty examination rules and guidelines.
With regards to financial services, Dr Taraporewala said that Antarchakshu throws light on how the visually impaired access the existing services through a live accessible ATM. Under the theme of employment opportunities, the event will create awareness about the involvement and employment of the visually challenged in various fields of work. “Thinking out of the box, we look into other career options such as adventure sports and help our sighted participants re-think,” he added.