National Association for the Blind (India) (NAB)

The National Association for the Blind (NAB) is dedicated to improving the lives of visually impaired individuals. Their comprehensive programs focus on education, rehabilitation, vocational training, and employment opportunities, aiming to empower the visually challenged and create an inclusive environment for their development and success. NAB works towards the prevention and cure of blindness, providing a range of vital services for the socioeconomic rehabilitation of visually impaired individuals nationwide.

Major Interventions:

Prevention of Blindness: NAB provides eye care services to people belonging to under privileged section of society. They initiated projects to detect and treat glaucoma, cataract and conjunctivitis and provide medication and spectacles to children living in the slums and those attending municipal schools. In collaboration with Reliance Industries, they initiated project “Drishti”, which carries cornea transplant surgeries. The department has organized multiple Eye Screening Camps at various places, post pandemic of COVID-19.

Vocational Training: The NGO started the NAB IDBI Polytechnic providing on the job advanced training in engineering and mass production techniques to visually challenged youth, also trained to operate plastic moulding machines, assemble various types of mechanical, electrical equipment and make office files. The NAB Department of Employment provides gainful occupation to visually impaired individuals through their placement in open employment or by offering them the support for self-employment.

Education: NAB provides school and college going blind children support services in the form of scholarships, free distribution of braille kits along with braillers and other assistive devices, volunteer reading services, science laboratories, aids and equipment, etc. NAB conducts home-based programme for Multi-disabled visually impaired (MDVI) children who, in addition to visual impairment may have mentally challenges, hearing impairment, autism, hyper activity, cerebral palsy etc. Itinerant teachers train these children in developmental areas like motor skills, communication, sensory skills, concept formation, activities of daily living, orientation and mobility, functional academics, pre-vocational skills, social skills, community-based instructions etc. It also has training centres for teachers of visually handicapped. Integrated Education is conducted by partnering with local voluntary organizations for visually challenged children where in the blind children residing with their families can attend the school nearest to them.

Braille Press and Talking Books: NAB Braille Press is one of the largest Braille production units in the country. Braille press also publishes general literature, fiction and non-fiction in five languages i.e. Marathi, Hindi, English, Gujarati and Sanskrit. A full-fledged centre for production and distribution of educational and recreational literature for the blind has been introduced, by establishing the Talking Book Studios and Library. The talking book centre records and supplies books in digital audio and is circulated in CDs, downloaded on the static devices of the Members or delivered online. Books of general interest like novels, classics, biographies, travelogues and short stories are also recorded. The Centre’s three acoustically designed Studios where recording is carried out in two shifts churn out books in English and Indian languages.

Rehabilitation: NAB also facilitates the rehabilitation, confidence building of the visually impaired, with training in courses such as general machine operation, candle making, physiotherapy, acupressure and massage etc. Intensive training is offered in basics of life, home management, Physical education, Braille and Social graces along with Orientation & Mobility which enables the visually impaired beneficiaries to rebuilt their lost confidence, discovering their own strengths and competences.