Vacation camp for the visually-challenged

BANGALORE: To help visually-challenged students enhance their knowledge-skills and personality, the Karnataka Welfare Association for the Blind (KWAB), in co-ordination with All India Confederation of Blind (AICB), New Delhi, is organising a vacation camp for the students. The camp was inaugurated at a function in the city on Wednesday.They will be exposed to the current social, economic and political situation of the country and skills training session will be conducted to cope with an integrated environment. During the ten-day vacation camp, concluding on November 12, experts from fields such as child rights, dental health, sports and yoga will deliver lectures while  environment specialists and computer-training instructors will conduct modules on the subjects for the students. Yet, the camp will not be just suited for the academically-inclined, but modules on performing arts such as dance, drama, and music will increase the scope of the camp.Participants will also be trained in orientation mobility, Braille-related activities, first-aid training and many other important life skills. Not restricting the camp to one geographical location, the students will also be taken on an excursion to Bannerghatta National park. Sponsored by Holland-based NGO Stichting Kinderopvang Noord, nearly 28 visually-challenged students between the ages of 14 and 20 years and as many as 10 teachers and 10 escorts will participate in the camp. These campers and their escorts including instructors are being provided accommodation and boarding free of cost. Among those present in the inauguration of camp include professor T R Subramanya, Registrar (evaluation) Bangalore University, S Parashiva Murthy, general secretary, KWAB, Dr K Udupikar, prof of English and Co-ordinator for braille center, Bangalore University, A K Mittal, President, All India Confederation of Blind, New Delhi, B Vedamurthy, Member Syndicate, Bangalore University, M B Keerthinarayana Swamy, Principal and Dean of Education, Bangalore University and Dr N Dasharath, Assistant Prof Law, ULC, the Camp Coordinator.