Helping them visualise the world better

Dubai: Visually impaired UAE residents have welcomed the first audio newsletter to be released in the country.

Foresight, a UAE-based non-profit organisation and a branch of Tamkeen, launched the newsletter, called Outlook, at the Emirates Ophthalmic Congress 2008 so that ophthalmologists and other eye care professionals could make it available to their patients and families.

Tamkeen, another non-profit organisation, aims to empower UAE nationals and residents with practical and vocational skills to enable them to enter the modern workplace and become economic and socially independent citizens.

Volunteers, including students from the Dubai Women's College, helped record the CD in English and Arabic. A generous contribution from sponsors Vox Spectrum also enabled the production of the CD.

Sally Prosser, Communications Manager at Foresight, said: "We produced the newsletter in an audio format so as many people as possible could access information that is of interest to those who are losing their sight. People with hereditary eye disease can be at many stages of visionary loss; some may have just received a diagnosis and not be sure where to turn while others just want to know what may be useful for them in the UAE.

"Many people have 'useful' vision which enables them to carry on living their lives independently and without others knowing there is something wrong. They can listen to our newsletter in the privacy of their own homes and contact us if they want more information. It has had a very positive reception and we are taking everyone's comments on board to make each issue even more interesting and relevant."

Foresight will initially produce three issues a year free of charge. The first edition covers news about the activities of Foresight and what it is trying to achieve as well as other articles about eye health, access technology and media.

Katy Newitt, Chairwoman of Foresight, is severely visually impaired with Retinitis Pigmentosa. She became the first blind person to complete the Dubai Marathon last week with a finishing time of four hours and 42 minutes.

She said: "Hereditary eye disease makes people lose their vision. People who have been recently diagnosed often have a lot of useful vision and may not visit centres set up for blind people. However, they still want information that is relevant to them in an accessible and interesting way. It is a way of reaching them and I hope this [audio newsletter] will help them to feel they are not alone."

Jeanie Poynor-Woods, a qualified massage therapist and ballroom dance teacher, also suffers from Retinitis Pigmentosa. She said the audio newsletter was a great way of receiving information and keeping in touch with all of Foresight's activities.

Do you know of any similar services for the physically challenged? Is there a lack of interest among people towards their needs?