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A small international development organization which
aims to create training programs and Braille book printing houses for
blind and visual impaired people. Braille is used as the basic tool to
impart literacy to blind people. "Without Borders" on one
hand means BWB can work anywhere in the world, but more important BWB
doesn't want to set any borders for blind people.
About The Name "Braille Without Borders":
Since September 2002 Sabriye Tenberken and Paul Kronenberg changed the
name of their organization into "Braille Without Borders". This name
carries two important meanings: "Without Borders" so the organisation
can work anywhere in the world and "Without Borders" since the
organisation doesn't want to set any borders for blind people. Every
individual, blind or low vision needs to get a chance to explore its
own borders. Therefore it is necessary that every individual is
challenged and not blocked by the sighted society to do so. Braille
Without Borders wants to
literate blind people with the use of the Braille script so they get
access to literature and so get access to knowledge. Knowledge will
give them the possibility to learn/perform a profession which enables
them to integrate themselves into society. Braille Without Borders is
working on the realisation of an International Institute for Social
Entrepreneurs (IISE) in Trivandrum, Kerala, South India.
OUR VALUES AND BELIEFS
• The organisation does not see
borders within the realm of possibilities of people with blindness.
• Being blind is no reason to
be socially excluded.
• Blindness is a personal characteristic, which ought
to be viewed free of bias, not as a stain or a deviance.
• Blindness is not a disability, when:
1. Society accepts blindness as an equal form of
life, and does not discriminate people for being blind.
2. People with blindness have
access to opportunities that afford them to learn enabling techniques
and methods, that compensate for their ‘not seeing’.
3. People with blindness and visual impairments
organize/empower themselves and fight self-assured for equal
opportunities.
TARGET GROUPS
People with blindness and visual
impairments worldwide, without regard to race, creed, national origin,
sex, age, handicap, disease entity, social status, financial status, or
religious affiliation.
ACTIVITIES AND GOALS
• Braille Without Borders focuses on
help-for-self-help.
• In the IISE blind and visually
impaired people from all over the world will be trained so they will be
able to set up their own Braille Without Borders training centres for
the
blind, social projects for other marginalized groups of people or
environmental projects in their own regions /countries.
• The training includes:
- Management, Project planning, Fundraising skills
- English, speech and debate
training
- Computer hard & software, use of special
equipment for the blind.
- Administration and bookkeeping skills
- Communication and PR
- Practical training in existing development
projects.
The Braille script is the basis of literacy for
the blind worldwide. Literacy programs are the basis for education. And
education provides the basis for integration. Only a fraction of the
blind worldwide is literate. 9 out of 10 blind children in developing
countries don't have access to education. Only few blind people are
fully integrated
in the society of the sighted.
All Contents
Copyright ©2005 Braille Without Borders All Rights Reserved.
Web site sponsored by National Importers Inc.
Web Design sponsored by Summa Systems Ltd.
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