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View this email in your browser January - February 2022 Welcoming 2022 2022 was welcomed heartily by the staff of the Blind Relief Association with a small get-together on the balmy afternoon of 1 January in the lawns of the Association. Executive Secretary. K.C. Pande addressed and shared his wishes with the members. Also present were Dr. Swati Sanyal, Course Director of Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education, Mr. A David, Dy. Executive Secretary (Ops) and Mr. M.K.Gupta, Head (Accounts). Relishing the pakodas, the event ended with each staff receiving a gift chosen by a random picking of numbered chits.   Mr. David Honoured Drishti a noted social organization working for the empowerment of persons with visual impairment based in Karwi (Chitrakoot, U.P.) honored Mr. David Absalom, Dy. Executive Secretary(Operations) with the Louis Braille Karma Yogi Samman 2022 in recognition of his outstanding services in the field of visual impairment. World Braille Day On World Braille Day, the Association's vocational trainees participated in a Braille reading/writing competition. In teams of three and four, the trainees competed in three rounds - Braille writing, reading, and an extempore. The team of Ajit, Rajeev and Reshma stood first followed by Lakman, Arun and Malati. Prizes for the winners and the participants were handed over by Mr. K.C. Pande, Hony. Executive Secretary and the staff of Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education/ Blind Relief Association. Vaccination Camps The Blind Relief Association Delhi in collaboration with HOPE Oncology Clinic and the National Association for the Blind, Delhi hosted a vaccination camp on 12 January 2022. The camp catered 70+ doses to the Association's students, trainees, staff, and other persons with disabilities from outside. The vaccination included the first dose for those within 15-18 years of age, the second dose for persons 18-60 years old, and booster doses for the elderly. The transport was arranged by The Blind Relief Association Delhi and ration kits sponsored by DBS Foundation and The Akshaya Patra Foundation were distributed to all vaccinated. Partnering with HOPE Oncology Clinic for the fourth time, another camp was conducted on 16 February in which 65 persons received vaccination.  Martyrs' Day Remembering Mahatma Gandhi and all the freedom fighters who laid down their lives for the country's independence, the Martyrs' Day was commemorated at the 'Shanti Niketan' park of the Blind Relief Association on 30 January '22.  In paying homage, the vocational trainees joined by the members from C. L. Gupta Eye Institute undergoing Training of Trainers at the Association recited prayers of seven different faiths: Zoroastrian, Jain, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Christian, and Sikh. The gathering observed a minute of silence timed at 5:17 P.M when Mahatma was shot at 74 years ago  Farewell to Mr. Jagmohan On January 31, the staff of JPM Senior Secondary School and the Blind Relief Association bid a sweet farewell to Mr. Jagmohan Singh, UDC - JPM School on his repatriation to his home school. On recalling fond memories,the staff/teachers of the school as their token of appreciation gave him gifts.  Mr. Pande, Executive Secretary BRA and Mr. KJ Kuriyan, School Principal shared their appreciation and wishes for the future.  On the Ramp  A Fashion Show and Livelihood Kit Distribution Ceremony was held on 12 February 2022. The small yet impressive event made immense impact on the participant vocational trainees. For the female contestants, it was an exciting first-time-in -life-experience.  Participation in the show, greatly boosted the confidence and spirit of female trainees, several of them coming from remote areas. The preparations started with training them on how to wear 'sari' gracefully and finally presenting themselves before the audience elegantly.  Mrs. Benu Nath, Hony. General Secretary of B.R.A., Dr.Swati Sanyal, Course Director, Durgabai Deshmukh College of Special Education and Mrs. Meera Mittal acted as judges. Also, on the occasion, under the Livelihood Project, seven massage kits were presented to professional independent masseurs trained at the Association. Similarly, electric sewing machines were gifted to two female trainees to help them start independent livelihood initiatives from their homes. On the fun side, the program included group songs presented by the vocational trainees trained by Mohd. Saad from Manzil Mystic who also accompanied the group on guitar. Funds for the massage kits and sewing machines were raised by Udayveer Khurana, a Class XI student of Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi. The gifts for fashion show contestants and the beauticians who stylishly groomed them came from Shahnaz Husain Academy. Remembering the Founder It was 63 years ago on 19 February 1959 that Sri. Umesh Anand Basrurker, the founder of The Blind Relief Association, Delhi breathed his last, barely eight months after the passing away of his wife and co-founder Smt.Anusuya Basrurker.  The vision of the founders continues to inspire and guide the Association as it strives to serve the cause of empowerment of persons with visual disabilities. Remembering the founder, the students, trainees, and staff of the Association joined a Havan and Prayer Meeting held in the Association's Gandhi Centenary Memorial Hall. On the occasion, a short film on the founding of the Association and its 75-year journey was also screened. Webinar on Omicron The Blind Relief Association along with Enabling Unit, Maitreyi College University of Delhi organized a webinar on Understanding Omicron (ऑमिक्रॉन को जानें) on 10 January with the renowned Orthopaedic Surgeon & Expert in Public Health - Dr. Mathew Varghese, St. Stephen's Hospital, Delhi as the speaker. The webinar received a very impressive participation. Lions Club Hearty thanks to Lions Clubs India - Delhi Capital for their generous donation of shoes, blazers, and bathing soaps to the Blind Relief Association on 17 January 2022. The President Mr. Manmohan K Sobti along with the team visited the Association and handed over the items. Trainers' Training Three staff members from C.L. Gupta Eye Institute, Moradabad - Ms. Binni Kumari - Communication CUM Rehabilitation Officer, Ms. Asma - Asst. VRS and Mr. Deepak Sharma - Rehabilitation Support Staff, attended the Training of Trainers programme conducted by the Blind Relief Association from 20 January - 5 February. Demo by USHA  Mr. Sandeep and Mr. Atul Pandey from USHA Silai School conducted a demo for the Multi-Skill trainees at the Blind Relief Association on 24 January '22. The trainees learned about new techniques such as pico stitching, buttonhole making, neck design, embroidery, etc.  Vasant Panchami On 5 February 2022, the Blind Relief Association welcomed the king of seasons 'Spring' on the occasion of Vasant Panchami with a special pooja of Saraswati the goddess of learning, art, and music.  Donate Online Catch up with us on social media! Copyright © 2022 The Blind Relief Association, Delhi All rights reserved