Kalimat brings visually impaired children at par with their peers
In celebration of World Braille Day, Kalimat Foundation — a Sharjah based non-profit organisation that provides vulnerable and visually disabled children access to reading material — proudly organised an engaging and impactful programme of activities dedicated to advancing accessibility and inclusion for children who are blind or visually impaired and was hosted in collaboration with Racks Café at their Aljada branch.
Marking the launch of a pioneering initiative to make board games more accessible, this partnership has introduced a collection of games featuring braille writing and tactile textures that will be available as a more permanent feature at the Café.
In the spirit of accessibility, a specially curated braille menu has also been implemented during the workshop, allowing children to make personal choices for food and refreshments, and again showing the importance of independence and self-confidence.
In an inspiring demonstration of unity and awareness, this initiative aims to bring together children who are blind, visually impaired, and sighted, exemplifying community as well as the foundation's mission to promote independence and lifelong learning, ensuring that no child is left behind.
World Braille Day, celebrated annually on January 4, honours the legacy of Louis Braille, whose revolutionary tactile writing system has empowered millions worldwide.
With approximately 285 million individuals living with major visual impairments globally, including 39 million who are completely blind, braille remains a cornerstone of literacy and empowerment. However, access to braille education is still limited, underscoring the urgent need for advocacy and expanded resources.
Kalimat Foundation's advocacy emphasises the importance of braille as a gateway to education and opportunity, ensuring visually impaired children can achieve their full potential alongside their sighted peers.
Commenting on the successful event, Amna Al Mazmi, Director of Kalimat Foundation stated, 'World Braille Day allows us to reflect on the essential role braille literacy plays in crafting inclusive societies, and we envision a world where every child has the opportunity to read, learn, and thrive, no matter their abilities. Our collaboration with Racks Café serves as an inspiration, encouraging other facilities, coffee shops, and community spaces to prioritise accessibility for visually impaired individuals. We urge everyone to follow suit and contribute to creating a more inclusive environment.'
An environment of joy, equality and camaraderie
A highlight of the day's event featured an engaging reading session led by renowned storyteller Samia Ayesh, whose inspiring and entertaining narratives brought themes of achievement and inclusion to life for both blind and sighted children. Throughout the day children actively participated in a selection of accessible board games designed with braille instructions, creating an environment of joy, equality and camaraderie.
Kalimat Foundation and Racks Cafe also announced that this selection of games will be expanded in future to cater to more interests and age groups.
A dedicated braille awareness corner showcased braille typewriters and informative displays about Arabic braille, parting important and interesting information to the community in Aljada. An interactive bookmark-making activity also proved to be a great success, introducing all participants to the fundamentals of braille literacy.
This collaboration with Racks Café also highlighted the important role businesses can play in creating an inclusive society, and by prioritising accessibility in their offerings, establishments can cultivate a culture of community and understanding.
Kalimat Foundation continues to lead in driving meaningful change through its initiatives aimed at creating inclusive educational opportunities.
Through its combined efforts, the foundation has distributed over 30,000 accessible books and 162 portable libraries, each containing 100 Arabic language books across 31 countries and reached more than 168,000 children in 144 underserved communities.
These impactful programmes, including the 'Ara' (I See) initiative and the 'Pledge a Library' initiative, reflect the foundation's unwavering dedication to transforming lives. For more information and to support Kalimat Foundation's incredible initiatives, visit https://kalimatfoundation.ae/.
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