The Blind Lead Trust (BLT) organization has organized the press conference at Shillong Press Club to announce to the society about what the organization has been doing and what it will be doing on the last friday dated 25/08/2023. Introduction of the organization.Blind Lead Trust is a non- profit Organization established on 26th June 2018 as a Public Trust under the Act of 1882. The co-founder of this trust was Shri. Jitendra Dkhar (Managing Trustee, Director) and (Late) Dr. Theodore Moallem (second trustee) and six other trustees. The Trust was previously registered at Lower Lachumiere Shillong but the present address is in Lumbasuk A (1st floor) Lawjynriew Road, Nongthymmai Shillong, Meghalaya. Blind Lead Trust has 7 trustees, 7 staff and 58 beneficiaries. It was also registered under the RPWD Act of 2016 on 26th April 2022.The Motto of the organization is “ When the blind lead the blind, they can choose their own paths.” This means that if a blind person is well trained He/She can stand on their own feet and lead a prosperous life. Yet, even though their eyes are dim, they are able to be independent and choose their own way.Mission:BLT, India is a non-profit organization, based in Shillong, Meghalaya, whose mission is to protect the rights of the blind and visually-impaired and improve them for the future of all young blind people. To help them live their dreams, participate more fully in society and to be more independent and self-sufficient. We aim to foster equal opportunity in education, empower knowledge, promote job opportunities and protect the rights of the visually impaired. The Organization focuses on providing Free Training Courses in an accessible way related to computer technology.Aims and Objectives of the Organization:To undertake educational programmes/projects for the personal development of blind and low-vision people.To undertake programmes/projects for the socioeconomic development and social integration among blind and low-vision people.To promote and propagate the awareness of blind person’s rights and abilities among young blind people and all members of their communities.To undertake any other objects of public utility.Introduction to our projects. Our organization has launched three projects to make all differently abled people achieve their goals: the Talking ATM Project, Craft Project and Computer Training project for the visually impaired.Heading 1. ATM Project: The ATM project that the organization had established is to assist the blind customers to be able to use the transactions by themselves independently without anybody’s control either parents or friends, The project focused on the Accessibility of Talking ATMs for the Blind people. This project was aimed to improve the accessibility for the visually impaired because most of the people in Meghalaya have little knowledge about the Talking ATMs. In this project the organization conducts a survey and tests the ATMs which are available in every headquarter of the District and how they function whether they are accessible for the visually impaired to be audible or not. In this project we try to compare how they function for the blind user and sighted. After the different functions have been investigated, the talking ATMs can help the visually impaired obtain the knowledge on how to use the talking ATM to be available for all their financial needs and how they can be as others. Also it teaches the visually impaired on how to manage and control the ATMs whether the facilities are accessible for the visually impaired or not. So, we are very happy to see that it has been successful and every visually impaired citizen can gain access from it. But you can check more details down below.Heading 2. Craft Project: Our organization had launched this craft project to assist the under privileged who are differently abled who are unable to educate themselves in school especially like the visually impaired, low vision, locomotor, and those who have a bit of difficulty in speaking. This project can help them to gain from their own income without depending on others so that they can stand on their own feet. For instance, to produce and train them like souvenir items etc. Through this project we aim and promote and expand our organization.Heading 3 Computer Training Project: Our organization would like to establish a computer training center for the visually impaired especially for those who are underprivileged in order to help them to do the training in our own state since it is very difficult to go outside the state. Therefore, if we run the computer center in our organization it would be much more easier for the visually impaired citizens of our states and also it’s free training.Request for the trainees and parents to send their special childrens to join our courses. On behalf of our organization we urge all the parents and trainees to kindly send their children to join our training courses where we will try our level best to establish various trainings that can benefit them.Request for collaboration from the citizens or anyone. Our organization requests all the citizens of our states and across the country to kindly collaborate with us so that we can overcome all the issues of the differently abled people, through your collaboration we can make a change in the society and they will be aware about the visually impaired people.Introduction of the ATM Talking Software Project. Talking ATMs is a type of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) that provides audible instructions so that people who cannot read an ATM screen can independently use the machine. ATMs Talking ATM is an important machine where blind customers can also use easy transactions. Our organization had successfully completed this project where it conduct the survey to all the headquarters of the district to test the machine whether it is accessible for the visually impaired or not and what are the services that are available for the visually impaired, after all these we compiled and submit the report and also give the suggestions as well of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to the Government in order to improve the facilities so that visually impaired too can use the machine independently.To guide the visually Impaired citizens how to use or operate the Card or ATM machines and also for the public domains. After completing this project our organization would like to provide a training to the blind customers on how to use the ATM machine that is on how to withdraw cash from an ATM and how to recognised the yellow chip which are available in the ATM card, also on how to keep their secret PIN number confidential, at the same time to identify and keep it confidential the three CVV code so that they will be save from all the disadvantages and that their transaction will be secure safely. And we beg all of the visually impaired citizens that if you use the ATM Card you need to have earphones for your own security because nobody should know about your confidential passwords etc. according to our findings, most of the visually impaired in the state of meghalaya they don’t know how to operate the machines of ATM. if you ask them? The answer is some of them will say we never heard about it and some of them will say that the banks do not allow me etc.At the same time, appreciation to the MDA-1 government for sponsoring this project. The Blind Lead Trust feel grateful to be able to get the sponsorship form the Government to complete the ATM Project. Without the help from the government, the organization would not be able to proceed with it. From this ATM Project, many blind customers will get the chance to use the ATM and to do their required transaction successfully and independently. Once again, the Organization took the opportunity to convey our appreciation to the Government of Meghalaya (MDA1) and individuals for helping the Visually impaired community in the state of meghalaya.