The Committee for Advancement of the Status of Blind Women was set up by the Executive Council of the National Association for the Blind, India on 20th January, 1981 to ensure the delivery of rehabilitation and welfare services to blind women, as also to empower the women through affirmative action to play a more pro-active role in society.

Our aim:  Socio-economic empowerment and mainstreaming of blind women in different walks of life

Activities:

• Financial support to needy blind women for education, self-employment, medical treatment, home repairs and social rehabilitation. Over the past 5 years, 225 blind and partially sighted women have been provided assistance amounting to Rs. 3.50 lakhs.
• Basic counseling, domiciliary services and referral services to clients with educational, marital, legal and family problems
• Late Kusum Maluste educational scholarships given to visually impaired girls. Till date, 12 visually impaired girls have been granted scholarships amounting to * for higher education.
• Sponsorships to blind girls for computer training, sports and excursions. 
• Short term training programs and competitions
• Pre- marital counseling workshop for visually impaired boys and girls
• Training programs in jewellery making and sandwich making
• Medical camps and health care programs
• Competitions in poetry recitation, storytelling and cooking.

Major on going projects

Utkarsh Job Development Center:
Utkarsh Job Development Center set up by CASBW   IN 1988  has been  successful  in  offering training and earning opportunities to  hundreds of blind women in Maharashtra.  Rakhi and Diwali Festival Projects with Air India’s support since 1992 have become a major source of income for blind women.

Our new products such as decorative wax candles, dry flowers, photo frames, tea-light holders are ideal as corporate gifts and have a good demand at various exhibitions. Today, self help groups of blind women are formed to encourage greater economic self-reliance and the center is being restructured to expand our product and market base.

NAB-Trupti:  
In July 2000, CASBW started a Poli Bhaji Kendra at our Worli head office with an objective to train visually impaired girls in cooking and kitchen management on experimental basis. This Kendra, which was renovated with the financial support from Ladies’ Wing IMC(Indian Merchant Chamber) , is now named NAB-TRUPTI and offers employment to four blind and visually impaired women.

Rural Project:
In December 2000 , CASBW initiated  a rural project supported by an NRI donor  for socio-economic rehabilitation of rural blind women at Murud-Alibag,Raigad District,Maharashtra. Presently 115 totally blind and partially sighted women are benefited from our services. In co-ordination with local government bodies, 50 blind women have been provided financial and tactical support for their economic rehabilitation in community-based activities, coir products, chalk and candle making 

Neelum Kanga Memorial Prize:
The Neelum Kanga Fund was established in 1983. Since its initiation 24 years ago, the prize has been awarded to 66 blind women who have achieved distinction in different walks of life: academics, teaching, music and banking and also in new challenging fields like law, linguistics, computers, homeopathy, reiki, physiotherapy, sports, palmistry, blind welfare, and even mountaineering. 

Life Skills Development Programme: 
NAB-CASBW in collaboration with S.N.D.T. Women’s University has initiated a Life Skills Development Training Programme for Visually Challenged Adolescents and Young Adults. The first training programme was conducted on a pilot basis from July 4 -7, 2005 at Leslie Sawhny Training Center, Devlali, which had 13 participants. CASBW plans to conduct such Life Skills Development Training Programmes on a continuing basis.

Hostel for Blind Working Women and College Girls
CASBW has started a hostel for blind working women & college girls in need of accommodation in the city of Mumbai.

The hostel has a capacity to provide accommodation in dormitories to 14 blind working women & college girls. This hostel which is functional from April 2006, is the first of its kind in Mumbai city which provides affordable residential facility to those blind women who wish to peruse their college education or employment in Mumbai

Publications:
Deepshikha: CASBW publishes a Quarterly Hindi Braille Magazine “Deepshikha”. It has around 150 subscribers all over India.
“From Darkness To Light”:  CASBW has recently published a book “From Darkness to Light” which includes stories of Neelum Kanga Prize Winners. This book has been brought out with a view to honoring these courageous and determined blind women.    

Proposed projects and activities:
NAB-CASBW plans to implement the following projects and activities shortly, for which the initial work has been completed:

• A Short Term Training Course in basic cooking for visually   impaired women.
• A special ladies batch for professional acupressure and massage course.

A FEW OF THE UTKARSH PRODUCTS...