Society for the Blind sets sights on raising funds
Published:Saturday | June 12, 2010 | 12:00 AM
The Jamaica Society for the Blind launched a fund-raising campaign on Thursday to prop up its programmes.
The society's 'Save An Eye, Save the Jamaica Society for the Blind' fund-raising project is aimed at staunching the organisation's financial fallout since the onset of the global recession.
President of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce, Milton Samuda, gave his stamp of approval on the project, which involves key ring and armband sales.
"Private-sector money will be far better spent with the Jamaica Society for the Blind," said Samuda.
The organisation has helped many Jamaicans over the years. Curtis Sweeney, who was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa at age 14, is one such person.
As he went through cyclical stages of sight and blindness, he said he became depressed, angry and went through denial.
"(Blindness) meant that I would possibly become a victim of discrimination," he said.
The Jamaica Society for the Blind helped Sweeney overcome the shock of not being able to recognise his own family and the disappointment of having to give up football.
"I felt accepted," he said. "Suddenly, I felt there was nothing wrong with blindness."
Sweeney had an accounting post at GraceKennedy when he lost his vision.
"Yeah, a visually impaired guy counting figures," he quipped.
Unable to continue in his role, he moved on to the switchboard and won an award for outstanding customer service.
He is now a counselling psychologist at GraceKennedy and a speedy typist.
"People ask me, 'How you type so fast?' while everyone there jook-jooking with them finger," he said with a smile.
Former government senator Floyd Morris, coordinator of the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of the West Indies, Mona, also recalled getting assistance from the Society for the Blind in learning to read and write Braille, as well as moving around on his own.
The UWI centre has partnered with the society on the back of $3.5 million in funding from the National Health Fund.