DREAMS FOR ALL

At the Visually-impaired Rehabilitation Centre in Haribhanga area of Lalmonirhat town twenty children from struggling families are given the chance to dream.

The centre, run by development organisation RDRS Bangladesh, teaches Braille and vocational skills to children with vision impairment. Rather than facing a future as a burden for their families and the community, the children are excited by the potential to stand on their own.

“I've lived at the centre for the last eight years,” says Class VIII student Milon Hossain Bablu, “and I'm really happy about it. After completing my study I hope to be a teacher. Light may not reach my eyes but here it reaches my heart and I am inspired to dream.” He's also rather pleased that he's learnt how to play cricket. Another visually-impaired student now in his second year of study towards a Bachelor of Arts is Milon Islam, who has been at the centre for twelve years. “I've had vocational training. I learnt to play the tabla drums. Now I'm focused on a successful graduation.” He also hopes to be a teacher in the long run.“I dream of being a singer,” says Moumita Roy, a student at the centre in class five. She has been learning how to sing, especially folk songs. “I know I can achieve my goal with the centre's continuing support,” she says.

Class VIII student Shubho Chakrobarty meanwhile is already an accomplished flautist. “I am often invited to perform at cultural programmes,” he says, adding that he is concentrating on his studies too since he wishes to live an independent life. Resource teacher at the centre, Rubi Biswas, who herself is visually impaired, says she teaches songs to the children and also Braille. “Each of our twenty students has their own talents,” she says. “They are on their way to becoming skilled and ready to pursue various vocations.

In terms of study, they do well.”The originally Dutch-funded centre opened in 2003 has more recently received financial support from a donor platform of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. But funding beyond 2017 is currently uncertain, which has both the centre's students and staff worried. Expenditure for the centre which employs three resource teachers and six supporting staff amounts to approximately Tk 40 lakh per annum.

“We are not sure about funding for the coming years,” says another resource teacher, Mumin Hossain Protik. “If we can't locate funds for the centre it will not be possible to continue its work indefinitely.”