In India, over 5 million people live with visual impairments, with a significant number in rural and underprivileged areas. In Odisha, access to inclusive education, assistive technologies, and dignified livelihoods remains severely limited for the visually impaired.
Only 30% of visually impaired children attend school, and far fewer reach higher education. Barriers such as social stigma, inaccessible infrastructure, and a lack of trained educators further exclude them from mainstream development.
VIEWS addresses these challenges through the development of digital audio books, promotion of digital literacy, and the establishment of inclusive audio libraries in schools, colleges, and universities—empowering visually impaired individuals to learn, grow, and participate fully in society.
VIEWS runs a Model School for the Visually Impaired from Class 1 to Class 8, where over 60 blind and low-vision students are receiving quality education with the support of DKBW Germany. Alongside academics, children learn music, mobility, and activity-based skills that nurture both their talents and independence.
We also work with mainstream schools to make education truly inclusive—providing Braille books, tactile maps, accessible audio content, and teacher training. This ensures that every child, regardless of visual ability, has the tools to learn, dream, and achieve.
For thousands of visually impaired students, textbooks are a rare luxury. We have bridged this gap by developing over 600 high-quality audio books from Class 6 to Post-Graduation in Odia and Telugu. These are freely available through our Sugam Pustakalaya online library, ensuring no learner is left behind.
We have also launched an Audio Book Helpline—students can request any book they need, and we ensure it’s recorded and delivered. For many, this service is not just an educational tool—it is a lifeline to knowledge and opportunity.
With the support of KODDI Korea and DKBW Germany, VIEWS has established Community Digital Literacy Centres in 11 special schools across Odisha. Here, visually impaired students master assistive technologies like screen readers, accessible mobile apps, and online tools.
To date, 300 students have gained the digital skills needed to succeed in education, employment, and everyday life—breaking barriers to inclusion in the modern world.
Through creative, participatory workshops in 40 special schools across 30 districts, we have trained over 1,500 visually impaired youth in essential life skills—communication, mobility, leadership, and self-advocacy.
These young people not only learn about their rights under disability laws but also how to claim them, access government schemes, and stand as confident voices for change in their communities.
Economic independence transforms lives. Partnering with the Odisha Association for the Blind and supported by DKBW Germany, we have provided vocational training to 98 visually impaired individuals in tailoring, handicrafts, food processing, and IT-enabled services.
We have also supported 50 entrepreneurs with business training, mentorship, and seed capital—proving that blindness is no barrier to running a successful, income-generating enterprise.
In times of crisis, we stand beside our community. During the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters such as cyclones and floods, we provided emergency relief to over 3,000 persons with disabilities—including food kits, hygiene supplies, and assistive devices.
Our rehabilitation programs helped families rebuild livelihoods and ensured children could return to school without interruption.
We believe lasting change comes through policy reform. VIEWS organized the Odisha Disability Conclave, bringing together policymakers, civil society, media, and disability rights organizations. We actively engage in state and national networks to advocate for stronger laws, better services, and a truly inclusive society.
To create an inclusive, empowering, and opportunity-rich environment for every person with visual impairment, ensuring no one is left behind due to lack of access, resources, or opportunities. We pledge to provide quality and inclusive education from early schooling to higher learning through accessible materials, Audio books and teacher training, while nurturing talents and independence through music, mobility, and activity-based learning. We will continue to bridge the knowledge gap by expanding our free library of audio books in Odia and Telugu and responding to learner needs through our Audio Book Helpline. We are dedicated to promoting digital inclusion by equipping students with assistive technologies and the skills to thrive in education, employment, and daily life. We will strengthen life skills, leadership, and awareness of disability rights, enabling youth to claim their entitlements and become advocates for change.
VIEWS (Voluntary Integration for Education and Welfare of Society) is a grassroots development organization committed to empowering children, youth, and women in Odisha. Since 2008, we have been driving change through sustainable livelihoods, quality education, and climate resilience initiatives—building stronger, more inclusive, and self-reliant communities.
