Snehankit Helpline for visually impaired students is helping them shine in academics

Founded in 2001, Snehankit Helpline is offering visually impaired students the support they need to do well in academics. Find out more about this much needed initiative.

Technology is helping students with vision impairments scale new heights when it comes to academics. However, lack of awareness, sensitisation, and infrastructure barriers still persist. Helping them to overcome these barriers is the Snehankit Helpline founded in 2001 by Parimala Bhat.

A social worker, Parimala is aware of the many hurdles children with disabilities face and the helpline aims to help them overcome these.

I started Snehankit Helpline to make sure that children with visual impairments are not left behind. With proper support, guidance and coaching blind students can complete higher education and have successful careers. At Snehankit we have children as young as two years of age and the goal is to nurture and coach them into becoming independent individuals. By enabling the visually impaired children to have the resources needed for education, we can change their lives and motivate them to be a part of the mainstream. – Parimala Bhat, Founder Snehankit Helpline

The Mumbai-based organisation offers support at multiple levels ranging from study materials in braille, audio books, scribes, workshops for job recruitment, skills training and conducting camps for people with vision disabilities. The aim is to encourage the community to become aware of its rights.

The task is not an easy one in a country that has the largest number of people with vision impairments in the world. Nandini Basole, a volunteer with Snehankit Helpline, enjoys the fact that she has been able to contribute to the cause.

“I have contributed by being a reader and writer for the blind students. I have learned a lot about the challenges faced by the blind students in their educational journey and their amazing strength through the obstacles”.

Snehankit Helpline also plans to offer free coaching for visually impaired students in science and mathematics every Sunday from 10.00 AM to 4.30 PM. Interested students can contact Snehankit by 28 June.

GET IN TOUCH: Visit the website of Snehankit Helpline: https://www.snehankithelpline.org. Email : snehankithelpline@gmail.com
or call at +91 9920680359,+91 9987114680.