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Contact:
Claudia Monlouis
Thursday, May 06, 2004 - Blindness in Saint Lucia has launched into the
realm of computer technology, through a special Poverty Reduction Fund/ Blind
Welfare Association Project, which was formally handed over to the association
on Thursday, May 6th.The project, which begun in 2003, centered upon capacity
building and empowerment of visually impaired persons.
Jessica Jacobie, facilitator in the new computer lab, which the Poverty
Reduction Fund equipped explained that the computer software was specially
designed to enable blind and visually impaired persons to access the internet,
bringing to them new experiences as they are trained in email, word processing,
information searches, and much more.
The lab is equipped with five new IBM computers, boasting today’s most modern
screen reading and reader software used for the training of the association’s
clients and employees. A sixth computer will be used for students to hone their
keyboarding skills. The computer lab is also equipped with a Braille printer
referred to as ‘embosser’ used for reproducing printed information into Braille,
which is the writing and communication form of the blind.
Equipped with leading software such as JAWS, which stands for Job Access With
Speech, clients of the SLBWA are expected to acquire new skills, making
themselves more marketable to the work force.
Under the project, costing in excess of $300, 000 the headquarters of the
association was renovated, while a low vision room, lab and multi handicapped
room were also installed to broaden the scope of support and development that
the Blind Welfare provides to its clients.
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