Eyeway Conversations

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks to a young and vibrant social entrepreneur Sristi KC from Nepal. She is also a motivational speaker, dancer and a trainer.

Sristi lost her eyesight at the age of sixteen due to the negligence of the doctor who was treating her for an eye infection. Despite a setback at a young age, she went on to top her university, receiving an award from the president of her country. Her love for dance helped her get a scholarship in Europe for her master’s degree in Dance Anthropology where her research work allowed her to create an accessible dance form for the Blind called ‘ Acoustic dance’ that uses music to make dance accessible for the Blind.

With an ambition to help blind people live a rocking life, Sristi started an organization called ,’Blind Rocks’ where blind people are taught dance, communication skills, public speaking, and many other things to help them live a life beyond their disability by focusing on their abilities.

Sristi has also featured on TEDx Talk.

Tune in to know more about her secret to becoming an achiever!

To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/M0xgfPGZVWdSBEx8jUXiAAlENeA

This podcast is brought to you by Score Foundation.

To support our work, kindly visit the link: https://scorefoundation.org.in/get-involved/

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Siobhan Meade, a digital marketing professional, journalist and a disability activist from the United Kingdom.

After losing her vision at the age of sixteen to Glaucoma, Siobhan found it challenging to go about her life until she heard a blind man share about his achievements over a radio programme.  With the new found confidence and support from her family, friends and teachers, Siobhan has come a long way in making a mark in the disability domain.

In her early years, she particularly chose radio and media as her profession to spread awareness on  life with blindness. Besides writing for a local newspaper, Siobhan started a YouTube channel where she talks about her experiences as a blind person and encourages people to ask questions to educate them about her disability.

A passionate advocate for inclusion and equality, Siobhan has started the ‘Respect campaign’ after being subjected to violence and abuse in the public for being blind that left her traumatized. She now visits various schools and colleges to raise awareness about her campaign and blindness.

Tune in to learn more about her work!

You can follow her YouTube channel ‘Blind Girl Vlogs’ here

To access the podcast transcript, click on link: https://otter.ai/u/0ITJzo63qwP5JSkpOJUMcOAX_qo

This podcast is brought to you by Score Foundation.

To support our work, kindly visit the link: https://scorefoundation.org.in/get-involved/

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with, Sabriye Tenberken, German Tibetologist and co-founder of the organisation Braille Without Borders.

Sabriye became totally blind by the age of twelve due to Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye condition. Despite a set back at an early age, she learnt to deal with her blindness. An adventurer at heart, she wanted to travel the world. 

After completing High school from an Institute for the Blind in Germany, Sabriye enrolled at the University of Bonn and focused her studies on central Asia. She was the only blind student out of the thirty thousand. With no Tibetan texts available in braille, she developed her own method of translating the Tibetan language into braille. It later became the officially recognized Tibetan Braille. 

Sabriye left college to travel alone to China. She traveled on horseback from China through rural Tibet and discovered a deep prejudice against the blind children who were shunned and hidden away from the world. She talked to parents about enrolling their blind children in the residential school she planned to open in Lhasa. She persuaded them that their children, too, could learn to read and write, and even ride a horse.

Committed to bring a change in the lives of these children, Sabriye along with her partner, Paul Kronenberg started Braille Without Borders (BWB), a nonprofit organization. In addition to the school in Lhasa, BWB runs a vocational training centre for blind adults with a farm and cheese factory near Shigatse.

In 2009, they also set up kanthari International at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, an educational and training institute, where they train social entrepreneurs from various vulnerable groups with all the required tools and skills to drive social change.

Tune in to learn more about her social venture in India and her story of courage, resilience and determination!

To access the podcast transcript, click on link:

https://otter.ai/u/BCcqY4uOJ7PoGbIzyOxXZSZO-XY

This podcast is brought to you by Score Foundation.

To support our work, kindly visit the link: https://scorefoundation.org.in/get-involved/

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Guneet Sethi who acquired blindness much later in life. But she never gave up on life. In a career of 30 years, Guneet has worked different jobs like teacher, communications specialist, creative writer and trainer. A motivational speaker, she is known for her recipe of a perfect cup of coffee! Do listen in to this delightful account of perseverance.

To access the podcast transcript, click on link:

https://otter.ai/u/YWet_56sos-dw4qiRL9NQtgvtOs

This podcast is brought to you by Score Foundation.

To support our work, kindly visit the link: https://scorefoundation.org.in/get-involved/

Our guest in this episode of Eyeway Conversations is Jim Stovall, a celebrated author, humanitarian, national champion Olympic weightlifter, entrepreneur and a highly sought after platform speaker.

In conversation with George Abraham, Jim shares his inspiring journey. Born in Oklahoma, United States, Jim grew up to be a professional football player until he was diagnosed with macular degeneration, an eye disease that most often attacks the elderly, at the young age of seventeen. By the age of twenty-nine, he had turned completely blind. What may have seemed like an end to one’s dream, Jim took the challenge in his stride and accomplished many dreams.

Jim is the author of the best-selling book, The Ultimate Gift, which is a major motion picture starring James Garner and Abigail Breslin. He is also author of The Ultimate Life and The Ultimate Journey, which have inspired other major motion pictures.

Jim advocates on behalf of people with blindness. He works to make television and movies accessible to the blind as President of the Narrative Television Network, an organization that has received various award recognitions including an Emmy award, a Media Access Award, and an International Film and Video Award.

Jim was selected as the 2000 International Humanitarian of the Year, joining Jimmy Carter, Nancy Reagan, and Mother Teresa as recipients of this honor.

Tune in to hear more about Jim’s extraordinary achievements and life!

To access the podcast transcript, click on link:

https://otter.ai/u/ZfHbYhLKjH6Rlz95mWlUyWcn5_I

This podcast is brought to you by Score Foundation.

To support our work, kindly visit the link: https://scorefoundation.org.in/get-involved/

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Tiffany Brar, founder of Jyothirgamaya Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala that trains blind people of all ages in Braille, mobility, basic computer use, and life skills.

Tiffany, who became blind as an infant due to oxygen toxicity, completed her primary education in England where she found an inclusive setup, doing things like other sighted children with a special resource person dedicated to her. But when her father was posted back to India, Tiffany found school difficult as she experienced segregation and isolation from students and teachers. 

After completing her Bachelors in English literature from Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram, she started working for Braille without Borders as a telephone operator. Later she pursued her B.Ed in special education (visual impairment) after which she began running the Jyothirgamaya (meaning "leading to light") mobile school for the blind.

In 2020 Tiffany, became the first Indian to receive Holman Prize from the US-based organization LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Tune in to listen to Tiffany’s journey and her dream of making the state of Kerala into an accessible space for people with disabilities.

To access the podcast transcript, click on link:

https://otter.ai/u/hHcfKAcqoHjCYaMjRp2bzM6z9Wc

This podcast is brought to you by Score Foundation.

To support our work, kindly visit the link: https://scorefoundation.org.in/get-involved/

In this episode of Eyeway conversations, we get to hear about Geetha’s journey in her husband Saleesh’s words (as Geetha only communicates in Malayalam). Geetha, our guest, an inspirational entrepreneur from Thrissur, Kerala shares her experiences with the host, George Abraham.

Geetha was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa at the age of 13, a rare genetic disorder that causes gradual vision loss. By the age of 15 she had turned totally blind. Despite the challenges, she focused on becoming independent by learning braille and completed her graduation.

After her marriage to Saleesh, Geetha was keen to contribute to the family’s income but was rejected from the private jobs she applied to because of her blindness. But not letting that discourage her, she started a small scale food business from home with the support of her husband and children. Fast forward to today, she has a team of 7 members working under her and has orders from across the country.

Tune in to listen to her story of beating odds and accomplishing her dream!

To access the podcast transcript, click on link:

https://otter.ai/u/zJ6ePS5A3xTxheRqRz8IsUVPaEc

This podcast is brought to you by Score Foundation and the transcript is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt.Ltd

To support our work, kindly visit the link: https://scorefoundation.org.in/get-involved/

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with David Absalom, Honorary General Secretary of Indian Blind Sports Association (IBSA) and the Asia Continental Chairperson of International Blind Sports Federation.

IBSA was founded in 1986 and has since emerged as the premier national blind sports body in the country with over 247 affiliates in 27 States. It is the sole Indian Affiliate of the International Blind Sports Federation, the apex sports organization for blind sports in the world.  It is also affiliated to the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI).

David, who is passionate about providing opportunities to young blind athletes, travels extensively across the country scouting for talent. Through IBSA, he has also initiated camps for blind women athletes who otherwise lack the opportunity and support to find their way into the sports world.

Tune in to listen to their interesting work and how they have changed the sports scenario for visually impaired people in the country!

To access the podcast transcript, click on link:

https://otter.ai/u/i0Jx-LISex9pJ3Gt52x82insBY8

This podcast is brought to you by Score Foundation and the transcript is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt.Ltd

To support our work, kindly visit the link: https://scorefoundation.org.in/get-involved/

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Ram Kamal Manoj; a social engineer, journalist and a brand consultant who runs a not for profit organization, Chakshumathi based in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Ram believes that assistive technology is the solution to all the present day challenges of blind and visually impaired people and this belief led to an Empowerment and Assistive Technology Centre for Blind in Kochi, Kerala in 2011. A member of the DAISY forum of India, Chakshumathi provided the daisy and angel players to young blind children to ensure independence at an early age.

Over the years the organization has initiated various programmes such as ‘Lets FICE (Let's Flatten inaccessibility curve), ‘Eyes free science summer camp’, to address accessibility challenges and help  blind and visually impaired students excel in science and technology streams and pursue professions in the field.

Tune in to learn more about the work being done by Chakshumathi!

To access the podcast transcript, click on link:

https://otter.ai/u/ozT2n8mVDMfB1ZENgWvA1k9EokA

This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd

In this episode of Eyeway Conversations, George Abraham speaks with Dr. Sam Taraporevala, a retired Associate Professor & Head Department of Sociology and Anthropology of the autonomous St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai. 

Born blind, his parents chose to educate him in a mainstream school and college, after which he pursued his PHD.

Between 2002 and 2003, while teaching at St Xavier's College, Dr Sam set out to explore the reason behind the declining numbers of blind and visually impaired students in his college, that resulted in the inception of the famous Xavier's Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC),one of the country’s finest resource centres for the blind. Fast forward to today, as an Executive Director, he has been at the forefront of social advocacy, creating awareness and addressing key access challenges for persons with low vision and blindness. 

His work so far has resulted in the amendment of the Copyright Act, India in 2012; the deployment of over 30,000 accessible ATMs in India; and the opening up of Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics(STEM) education for blind and low vision students. 

Tune in to listen to Dr Sam's inspiring journey!

To access the podcast transcript, click on link:

https://otter.ai/u/FoqS7imJ0byrJQH0sRmHoh4ey3o

This podcast is supported by BarrierBreak Solutions Pvt. Ltd