Over 100,000 people of participated across the country blindfolded to express solidarity with the visually challenged people in a program called BlindWalk. It commenced in Bangalore at Vidhana Soudha at 3pm on October 12. BlindWalk is the brain child of Project Vision, an organisation based in Bangalore who has found a very novel way to celebrate the World Sight Day.
The striking experience of BlindWalk was that the normal blindfolded people were led by visually challenged people. The participants were holding on to the blind person in the front after being blindfolded, depending on him/her to walk. This experience was very special and life changing that gives a glimpse into their ‘dark world’.
BlindWalk was conducted in 200+ locations across India and abroad on October 12th, Thursday this year. Apart from US, China, Srilanka and Nepal, the Walk was connected across the length and breadth of India, coordinated by Project Vision with a multitude of social, educational, religious, health, corporate and cultural organisations.
The most important objective of the BlindWalk is to motivate people to donate their eyes. The second objective of BlindWalk is to create Vision Ambassadors. Despite interest in donating eyes and having pledges done, most people are not able to take the steps for actual donation, when a death happens in their family due to emotional reasons. And the third objective is to have easy systems for eye collection. The program connects the Eye Banks to the community, making their services and contacts available to everyone.
National Association for the Blind, Eye Bank Association of India, Art of Living, 104 Arokiavani, Rotary and Rotaract, National Service Scheme, Catholic Health Association of India, CBCI - CARD and Madura Microfinance Limited are some of the national agencies that are part of organising the BlindWalk. While The Muthoot Group is the main corporate support, Alcon, Essilor, CBM, and a host of local sponsors are supporting this social cause.
