Relying on vision without sight

Sitting at his workstation, Corey Shedden is a picture of concentration as he skilfully manoeuvres each strand of wicker to create the base of a patio chair. Expertly executing the hand-weaving technique, Shedden anticipates that the completed chair, like his previous pieces, will be a work of art, capturing the attention of a prospective buyer.

Specialising in the creation of wicker and caning, Shedden has been creating furniture, home and office accents, as well as fashion pieces such as handbags, since his introduction to the art in 2009. However, after almost five years of excellent work, he has never seen the outcome of his designs.

Shedden lost his sight 12 years ago. His life turned to immediate darkness after a bullet to his head shattered the nerves in his eyes. However, he presses on with foresight, which guides his innovations.

Shedden is one of 16 persons employed to Superior Crafts and More, a non-profit organisation which has been selected by the JNBS Foundation to be a part of its Social Enterprise Boost Initiative (SEBI) programme. The company is located on the premises of the Jamaica Society for the Blind and 12 of its employees are either totally blind or visually impaired.

Sitting in their workshop, the laughter and conversation among employees will quickly erase any thoughts of pity for these non-sighted persons. In fact, according to Shedden, being blind does not make him helpless. "The only thing I can't do is see," he explained. "Everything else, I do myself. I wash, clean and go to the shop. Other than my job here, I do a little hustling by buying and selling."

But, not to downplay the challenges associated with being blind, Shedden pointed out that the experience of instantly losing his sight was one of the hardest experiences he has faced in his life. "When I was shot, I remember the police saying to me that I may not live to see what would happen to the person who shot me, but, I may live to hear. It was pure darkness! It wasn't easy, two minutes was like two days in darkness, it even started to affect my nerves, like my head gone," Shedden said.

He credits the excellent support of members of his family who guided him through his traumatic experience and helped him to stay grounded and sane.

"This is not something you can do on your own, the support of parents and family is important," he stated. "And then you have to accept that your life has changed and make living as normal as possible. Just live your life and let your hair down, even if it's short; just live your life to the fullest."

Increased independence

Always business-minded, in 2009, Shedden decided to learn a skill that would propel him on his path to gaining increased independence.

"After I learnt the trade, I
got a job placement here and I have remained here since. I love creating
things based on inspiration and I like to surprise and challenge
myself. Before I became blind, I used to operate my own stall, so I was
accustomed to working and being independent. And, now even though I am
blind, I still have the same drive to work for my own," said the jovial
Shedden.

The demand and recognition for the
exceptional work he does and his equally challenged team members is
expected to grow from the support to Superior Crafts and More through
the JNBS Foundation's Social Boost Enterprise Initiative, which is a
JNBS Foundation initiative in cooperation with the United States Agency
for International Development.

SEBI seeks to transform
the operations of Superior Crafts and More, one of 10 social
enterprises chosen to participate in the programme, to become a
sustainable entity, increase its competitiveness, and to augment its
contribution to the community and group it
serves.