VIDEO: Erbil’s center for blind, visually impaired persons calls for support

The students and teachers at the center still use outdated learning and teaching devices.
kurdistan24.net

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – A 37-year-old center for blind and visually impaired people in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, recently called on authorities and international NGOs for their support.

The Runaki Center (Kurdish for light) was established in 1990 to receive and serve the blind and visually impaired people in Erbil but currently struggles to meet the needs of its members due to a lack of support.

The students and teachers at the center still use outdated learning and teaching devices and have asked that assistive technology is made available to help the visually impaired learn.

Runaki Center still uses old devices for teaching and learning purposes. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
Runaki Center still uses old devices for teaching and learning purposes. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

The center currently hosts nearly 100 students.

Hassan Birezhi, the Manager of the Runaki Center, who is visually impaired himself, called on the related authorities to increase their efforts to improve the situation at his center and similar centers across the Kurdistan Region.

“I call upon local and international NGOs to support us in bringing efficient, developed braille printers, and mobile devices compatible with special apps for the blind,” Birezhi said.

“We lack all this equipment and services in the Kurdistan Region as well as Iraq,” he added.

Hassan Birezhi, Manager of the Runaki Center and a PhD candidate, calls for NGOs to support his center. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
Hassan Birezhi, Manager of the Runaki Center and a PhD candidate, calls for NGOs to support his center. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

“The Runaki Center relies on the Ministry of Education for curriculum related matters, while the Ministry of Social Affairs handles employment, salaries, and other daily procedures,” Birezhi said, adding this had created some administrative problems for the visually impaired.

In addition to international support, Ranj Hamid, the manager of the voice department, said the center needed “volunteers who have experience with reading, voice recording, and montage to help us prepare lessons for the students.”

Ranj Hamid, the manager of the voice department at the Runaki Center for the Blind. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
Ranj Hamid, the manager of the voice department at the Runaki Center for the Blind. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

 

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany

(Goran Shakhawan contributed to this report)