Have you heard about the blind musical legend Stevie Wonder or read the book by blind writer Helen Killer?
There are so many legendary people like them who conquer their darkness with a ray of light and hope.
But how do these people bring the light of education and knowledge into their dark world?
On January 4, the world celebrated “World Braille Day,” commemorating an anniversary and revolution. Louis Braille invented the braille system and became a beacon of hope for the visually impaired community.
What is braille?
Braille is a six-dot code that represents letters, numbers, and punctuation. By using their fingerprints, people can read and write.
According to the UN and WBU (World Blind Union), about 253 million people are blind or partially visually impaired. The main theme of the celebration is to celebrate blind people’s success and then create awareness about their rights and values worldwide. In a world of immense darkness, brilliance exists, and we need to stretch our hands and be introduced to the world.
Louis Braille, a 3-year-old boy, lost his eyesight in an unexpected accident. This boy invented this remarkable communication system. Before this, blind people used ValentiHaüy’s embossed letter. This process had several drawbacks as it relied on wooden letters. Hence, limitations inspired Louis to invent braille.
Let’s introduce and celebrate the success of some legendary blind people worldwide.
Louis Braille :- Louis was born on January 4, 1809, in Coupvray, France. He lost his eyesight at the age of 3 in an accident. At 10, he got accepted into the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris.
At the age of 13, he detected the limitations of the existing system. He invented the Braille code, which he started experimenting with for the next two years.
Finally, the code of six dots got a symphony of expression. He cared for innovation, worked hard, and improved inventions. He also developed musical notation.
At the age of 43, he died of tuberculosis. In 2018, the UN celebrated his invention, marking his birthday by making paths to connect the entire world.
Stevie Wonder :- This musical genius got a 25th Grammy for his song. “Superstition” and “I Just Called to Say I Love You” “are some legendary classic creations. He had sold over 100 billion albums.
Helen Keller :- Another example of a disabled person whose life was extraordinary on every level. The conquering journey of the deaf and blind is published in her autobiography,`The Story of My Life.
It is a powerful reminder that human potential can bloom even after facing challenges and needs a way to shine into the world.
Aysha Sultana:
Aysha Sultana is a prominent social entrepreneur and the founder of the Aysha Trust in Bangladesh. She also advocates for and empowers disabled women and children. She works for disabled people to achieve their rights and dignity and become the voice of society.
Despite immense success and advantages, the rate of braille literacy could be much higher. The UN and WIPO work for blind people by correcting the issues that affect their daily lives. We must create awareness for their rights and make a pathway to enjoying the world.
In this fast-paced, moving world, limitations still affect the lives of blind people. Not everywhere; blind people can access all kinds of documents, even if they don’t have enough libraries.
They need more digital libraries like Triflolibro. Bangladesh has a significant limitation on braille resources, especially in rural areas.
The acute presence of social stigma around disability makes it worse. No one is inspired to teach or be taught; let them be lost in the darkness.
If you look around the world, you will see people like Haben Girma (Oxford graduate and social activist, blind deaf), Wasim Elham (blind Sudanese activist), Srbriye Tenberken (blind German filmmaker) etc, these people glorify the world in different sectors and work for the same kind.
Blindness never deserves blame or shame. We need to resurrect our society by making a breeze of awareness and spreading the light where it is desperately needed.
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Writer
Zakia Sultana
Intern, Content Writing Department.
YSSE