DRC: The Union of the Blind calls for the creation of Braille schools

Every October 15 is International White Cane Day. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Union of the Blind is advocating for the creation of schools to teach Braille. These schools will enable the integration and education of the visually impaired, allowing them to communicate effectively with the community around them. By giving them the means to learn and master this tactile writing system, we enable them to develop their independence and social integration. “We are taking advantage of this day’s celebration to ask both national and provincial authorities to pay attention to the blind. First, they can establish schools for learning Braille, especially for blind children, because we don’t know how these children will communicate with the community,” Moket Shabani, the association’s provincial coordinator in Maniema, told the press. He also took this opportunity to advocate for the creation of literacy centers for adults living with this disability to enable them to learn basic skills that will facilitate interpersonal communication. These individuals, who are often excluded from the traditional education system, need to develop basic reading and writing skills to make their daily lives easier and promote their professional integration. Nodriche Kasai