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 On the 30^th of May  2023 the members of the Blind Lead Trust Organization under the leadership of the Shri. Jitendra Dkhar Director of the Blind Lead Trust Organization , Acting secretary Womphermiki Lamare, Office Assistant Dashisha Syiem and Bandwina Khymdeit assistance membership and two other beneficiaries of the organization went to support the hunger strike taken by the VPP.

On this day, the BLT assembled in the office together to go to the Additional Secretariat. First,  the BLT members went to Laimukhrah to buy a bouquet for MR. Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit. On reaching the area, the members of the BLT hand over the bouquet to Mr. Ardent himself and have a bit of interaction with him. The Director of the BLT speaks with the media that we have come here to show support to the VPP (Voice of the People party) on the indefinite hunger strike based on the Reservation Policy. After that the members of the BLT had a group photo session along with the President of the VPP Mr. Ardent Miller Basawiawmoit.

 The reason behind the indefinite hunger strike is that the VPP wants to review the Reservation policy  on job opportunities between the two communities that are the Garo and the Khasi Jaintia people. The VPP wants to review the reservation based on the population. Since 1972, 40% of the State Government jobs are reserved for the Khasi and Garo Communities and 20% for the general and other Backward class. It has been almost 51 years since the implementation of the Reservation since changes have never been made and it remains stagnant. In other States, changes have been made from time to time according to the needs in the Reservation Policy.  With the rise of the Population, with Khasi being more in number than the Garo people. This has affected the job reservation in our state.

The VPP has been seeking a review of the policy asserting that it is unfair to the Khasi Tribe, The Population of which has outnumbered that of the Garo over the years. The present policy needs a relook as the population of the Khasis consisting of subtribes- Jaintia’s, Wars, Bhois, and Lyngngam- is higher than the Garo people, it said according to the 2011 census, over 14.1 lakh Khasis lives in Meghalaya while the number of Garo people is a little over 8.21 lakh. So, this policy is unfair and outdated” said the VPP President.

According to the VPP President, he is not against the right of the Garos to the government jobs and he is only demanding an “impartial” job reservation policy.

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We have completed the survey regarding the ATM Talking Software across the Garo Hills. Hence, the place is very hot. It seems like it is in Assam only, but there were some areas that were good and all the main arrears of the towns are so hot.
So, in Garo hills there are enough of machines based through the towns and all of them are having the talking software even some of them is not working the cash-live due to the electricity problem in the state but at least the manager of those branches has make sure that they must be working and if not and then they will fix it as per their assurance to us. We found there are nice areas and also the roads are best.
During visit the Tura which is the main area of the Garo hills Mr. Jitendra who is Co-Founder and managing director of Blind Lead Trust (BLT) has been met some visually impaired leaders from those area and he taught to one visually impaired person on how to operate the ATM Machine and learned about the talking software system and also how to apply for the ATM Card so that he can teach to other visually impaired people towards the Garo hills community. They are very happy about it.
Therefore, we have completed across the state now according to the mission of this project. Hence, it is not yet come to the end there is still a need to sit and discuss to prepare the solution and to submit the report to the government especially to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) so that they will fix the needs of visually impaired customers. At the same time, according to the findings of our Director he said we need to plan for the workshop program so that we can teach to others visually impaired in the state or other states. Because there are a lot of them who do not know how to operate the machines or the cards and What are the rights regarding this for the visually impaired and this is the best thing to do for the betterment of blind people.
The organization thanks to the government MDA1 and Shanbor Shulai MLA Laban constituency for lending helping hands to the organization. Without their support we cannot proceed with this project. We are very grateful and happy and also thanks to all the officers because of their performances we can get the funding. We hope to collaborate for future projects.

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The Blind Lead trust (BLT) Organization had conducted a survey for the project of ATM Talking Software in every headquarters of all the district in Meghalaya. This Project was sponsored by the Government of Meghalaya to the Blind Lead Trust organization and it is for the betterment of the visually impaired citizen of our State.

In the beginning we are going to proceed with this project until the end and after that we will submit the report to the Government and RBI(Reserve Bank of Indi) and hence, the Government and the RBI could come out with a certain solution on what they needed to do and what are the way and means that they are going to upgrade the machine in an assessible manner for the visually impaired user. The BLT member had completed the survey in all the district of Meghalaya i.e. in East Khasi Hills, Ri- Bhoi District, West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills, East Khasi Hills, West Garo Hills, North Garo Hills, South Garo Hills and East Garo Hills district.

Here, in this Project the team member of BLT survey each and every corner of the district about the ATM machine. The first thing the BLT members investigate is whether the Machine is assessible for the visually impaired as the machine is a touch screen or keypad. Whether the machine has the availability of the braille tactile in all the options such as in card slot, cash slot, receipt and fingerprints. We also survey where the environment is friendly for the visually impaired. Whether the location is assessible not only for the visually impaired but for the locomotor and the person with disability.

We also hope that our organization will be able to accomplish and fulfill our goals. With this project it will help our blind friends to operate the ATM machine successfully and independently. The organization appreciates the State government for their support and consideration for the needs of our visually impaired community.

 It has been the happiest day for Kong Mary Kyndiah who is a visually impaired person  to accept  the house builded by the Blind Lead trust organization. On the 6th May 2023 the Blind Lead trust organization inaugurated the house of Mary Kyndait at Kremmyrsiang West Jaintia Hills Namdong C&RD. The house was inaugurated with the presence of the MDC of Namdong Shri. Dawan Lyngdoh and Shri.Jitendra Dkhar (Managing Director of Blind Lead Trust) headmen of Kremmyrsiang village,members of the Blind Lead Trust and others guests from the village itself.   

This small program was witnessed by the Member of District Council (MDC) from Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) Shri. Dawan Lyngdoh which falls under the 10th Mynsngat Khanduli’s constituency and the executive and headman of Kremmyrsiang village and also the family of the visually impaired women family and her neighborhood. The visually impaired lady told us that the people from her village has changed the behaviours towards her since the time when our organization has come to visit her from the beginning and until now, which she never expect to happen in her life. Before the people in her village used to torture and disrespect her. She utter that it is unbelievable now the people respect her and that it made her very happy! She feels so grateful for the organization.Prior to the inauguration of the house, Kong Mary lived in a very miserable condition. Her house is covered with trampoline and straw with holes everywhere. She had a very miserable life.  Kong Mary Kyndait could not hold her tears back after accepting the key of the house because she could not imagine that a visually impaired  person like her could accept such a big gift from the Blind Lead Trust. For her it’s like God gifts sent  from above.

So, from our organization we will continue to lend our helping hands to all of the visually impaired community and other people with disabilities as per the capacity level of the organization. There are a lot of them who have requested us, but unfortunately we cannot do it all at once. Hence, we will try as much as we can. But the doubts here are about the financial crisis.

If any of you would like to know more about the story of visually impaired women you can check from the previous post which we published last year on our website or other social media. At the same time, you can also check out this program which was published by the news reporter.

The Blind Lead Trust (BLT) non profit organization which is based in Shillong has been organizing the general board of meeting on the 3rd of may 2023.

So, in this meeting we have taken the decision to remove the previous trustees who had resigned and died. At the same time, new trustees have been appointed.

Therefore, our organization is very happy to see that we are moving forward and slowly starting to grow up. We will make sure that all the visually impaired community will be safe and independent in their future. Either it will be more trust from the society for the organization. We would love to fulfill the circumstances which are false for the people with disabilities especially our dream of the organization.

So, we beg to all our friends people with disabilities to kindly join us and collaborate for the welfare of our own community. Through your distribution, we can change the world together for the next generation. The organization would like to thank all of our old trustees for lending helping hands to our organization or to the society. Hence, the special thanks to our new trustees for joining us to coop up the welfare of PWDs together.

These are the administration of the Blind Lead Trust (BLT) Non-Profit-Organization which is based in Shillong Meghalaya:

1. Who is the director of blind lead trust organization?
2. Answer; Mr. Jitendra Dkhar.
3. Who is the secretary of blind lead trust?
4. Answer; Mr. Wompherheimonki Lamare, acting secretary.
5. Who is the cofounder of the blind lead trust?
6. Answer; Mr. Jitendra Dkhar and Late Dr. Theodore M. Moallem. The two of them are partners and then begin to discuss how they can start the organization so that both can fulfill their aims and that is to protect the rights and also to bring the development for the welfare of the visually impaired in our state of Meghalaya and across the country of india. At the same time, there are (5) other trustees which were the members when we registered for the organization from the beginning.
7. How many staff does the blind lead have?
8. There are (6) staff which the blind lead has currently. That is (4) staff are totally blind persons and (2) of them are sighted persons. It might be increased as per the office purposes.
9. Who are the four staff of the blind persons of the blind lead trust?
10. Answer; Mr. Jitendra Dkhar, as the Managing Director position. Ms. Bandwina Khymdeit, as the Assistant Membership position. Mr. Kanai Debnath, as the Office Keeping Records position. Mr. Krishna Phawa, as the multi staff position.
11. How many Trustees or Members the blind lead have?
12. Answer; There are )7) members of the blind lead from the beginning. but due to circumstances and their personal reasons some of them had died and some of them resigned. Therefore, the active Trustees of the blind lead trust currently is, Mr. Jitendra Dkhar, Mr. Krishna Phawa and Mr. Kanai Debnath.
13. What are the contact numbers of the blind lead trust?
14. Answer; there is no specific telephone or Landline number for the office purpose. But you can contact directly with the person who is incharge Mr. Jitendra at +91 8787575205 or +91 8132002898 and with Mr. Wompherheimonki, +91 7641035527. At the same time, you can just simply send the email in the official email address at, [email protected].

The Blind Lead Trust Organization got to attend an exhibition program conducted by the science and Technology department at the State Convention Center of Shillong On the 23rd of march 2023. In this program the National Institute of Technology of the state Meghalaya brought us to those programs under the leadership Dr. Bunil computer science of NIT Shillong.

In this program the blind lead got the opportunity to introduce our own prototypes of assistive devices which were founded and designed by late Dr. Theodore M. Moallem and he has granted that these prototypes belong to the Blind Lead Trust Organization which he also himself is a co- founder of the Blind Lead Trust. So, we found that on this day the people are very interested in these prototypes named the Braille-X and the Wax-Pen.

Through this program it was a great experience for us, because we have never got a chance to attend like this kinds of program before. It is a great experience at least for me! At the same time, for Wompher Lamare who is one of the acting secretary of the Blind Lead Trust Organization also told me that it was the first time experiencing this. It helps us to learn how to communicate with people.

We also thank all of the team members of the NIT university of Shillong especially to those who are collaborating with us related to our organization’s prototype projects and also to the Director of the university for allowing us to proceed with these projects in their university. So, we do hope that through their leadership we can promote the welfare of the visually impaired community for their accessibility and benefits. The organization will try our best as much as we can to produce it to the society of the blind people.

Hello connection I feel as a leader of the non profit organization it is very difficult to get the funding in order to implement our projects without the financial support. And also so tuf to deal with it. This type of thing I have less experience with and do not know if anyone can help me.
The blind people here suffer in their daily lives especially for those who do not get the opportunity to complete their graduation and others who do not get a chance to study since they are born. But because they are under the control of someone else and then nobody here or sees their problems. Especially for those people with disabilities, women are very determined to lead their own lives even if they want to move forward to fight for their rights but they have no choices because their family could not support them. For some of the family even they knew exactly is not mistaken by their disabilities children but still they are quickly to compromise instead to find out more thing in deed so that they can stand and defend of their disabilities child. So then most of the persons with disabilities lose their confidence because they know that even if they want to do something and protect their rights they will not get any support to encourage their aims. Of course, that is not happening to all of the persons with disabilities. But some of those who can take on their own risk even their family try to advise them to avoid that kind of decision only you can see to achieve their goals, for instance those who are no more dependent on their family for everything.
I don’t mean to say that the parents are bad, but I just keep thinking in my mind why don’t the parents treat or encourage their disabled child like they did with other normal of their childrens. Sometime I was thinking this is happening just because we are having these kinds of problems and then we are left lonely. I am not talking for myself, I can reachout wherever I want and I can get whatever I want for now but when I was a child I was in the same position. But my hard go’s for some of my differently abled friends who do not get a chance even to go to the Lyngpung Niam Tynrai and to the temples and also to the churches. This is always happening in the rural areas, because they feel shy to bring their family members to church and other religions.

That is why sometimes the persons with disabilities don’t feel enough to stay with their family because no one can play or talk at the same time to have fun with them. If they get a chance to sit together in one place which were not so close of their family and all of them are blind or other differently abled they are feeling happy because they get to share each other their stories. Which means they are far away from the attention and stressful.

Hence, most of the people in the society thought that the persons with disabilities were grazed by god and then they are not doing anything wrong in the society. They must not be married and they must not expect such a thing which all other people do in this world either if somebody who can accept to marry with the blind people or to other persons with disabilities and then most of the people will start talking about them and they will start to judge and also to ask the question themselves. They will tell the woman or man how she or he can marry the blind person or women and how they will survive their family. What they are going to eat. She or he made a big mistake to choose of their loves, maybe everyone is refuse to choose her or he.

So, we cannot make satisfied to other people that is why I request to all the parents you should accept your child without hesitate even they are differently abled is not because of them makes them to be like that and also we cannot blames to you. What is happening is due to some mistakes and problems which we could not have predicted beforehand. At the end of the story I just wanted to let you know that we the blind people also are the same only as well as you are but we are having a disability in our body. That is why we are special to other normal people in society.

Mr. Jitendra Dkhar Director of the Blind Lead Trust Organization.