Source: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

Tanzila Akhter, a student of class 8, wants to be a politician when she grows up, but also has a major interest in poetry. “I dream that one day my poems will be published in the Bangla book that we are reading in school right now”, smiles the young enthusiast. Though one would think she is like any other girl, but unfortunately Tanzila is visually impaired. She has gone through a lot of struggles in the society while growing up. “The situations I faced in the early days of my life were horrible until Assistance for Blind Children (ABC) came along. Now I feel safe and secure and their constant grooming really helps us to lead a normal life”. She is currently a resident at the blind children's hostel by ABC and studying at Salna Nasiruddin Uchya Biddyalay, Gazipur.

Source: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

ABC was mainly an initiative of the Rotary Club, Bangladesh, back in 1985. At first, it started as consultancy camp and training centre. “Visually impaired children go through a lot in their lives. Whenever I used to travel to villages or other districts, I saw how tough it was for them to adjust in the society. So that's when I thought of doing something for them,” says Habibullah Khan, president of ABC and former district governor of Rotary International in Bangladesh. After their huge response for the training centre, in 1994 they opened up the hostel suited for blind children. And in 1996 they started the ABC Eye Hospital, located in Gazipur and eye clinic in Bagura. The hospital and clinic only provides to the poor and the children who have eyesight problems. They get around 250 to 300 patients every day and the hostel provides over 350 students all over the country.

The children who live in the hostels are very optimistic and spirited, considering their physical disability. ABC also provides them with brail books which they make so that they can easily access their school work. The training they get from the groomers also helps them with building up their lives. Tanima Rahman, a former resident of the ABC hostel, now works at an internet providing company. “I come from a very rural area of this country. And it's because of ABC that I am standing on my own two feet now,” says Tamanna.

Source: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

All in all, Assistence for Blind Children created such an environment for these children that they feel no insecurity whatsoever. Their primary goal is to ease the lives of as many visually impaired individuals as possible. And so far, they have managed to do a tremendous job.