Hello World

My name is Kaberi. I am a Marketing Manager at Percentage Play, a proprietary trading firm in Bangalore and I am also a volunteer teacher at the National Association for the Blind, Karnataka. I have been teaching business in the form of interactive discussions to the students of the Basic and Advanced Computer programmes since 2009.

The cause of the visually challenged has always been close to my heart and since 1997, I have at various points done some form of volunteer work - raised money for NAB Mumbai, read The Hindu and books to my visually challenged neighbour, Mr. Srinivasan, a wonderful gentleman from whom I have learnt a lot about Indian politics, being a scribe and reader to a few visually challenged students through the Social Service League at St. Stephen's College and helping my fantastic college roommate Savita, for whom there is no obstacle that cannot be overcome. Savita is currently finishing her MPhil thesis at JNU alongside being a lecturer at Zakir Hussain College, University of Delhi.

Since I started working at NAB, Karnataka last year, I increasingly felt that my contribution was very small as my language skills (I don't speak any South Indian languages) limit me to interacting with the Computer students. I began to wonder how I could help the many many other students at NAB in other departments - the Reflexology Centre, The Community Based Rehabilitation Centre or the Music Academy, among others. Also, many friends and acquaintances have expressed interest in visiting the NAB campus with me but due to busy schedules, have not been able to make the time. So I decided to bring NAB Karnataka to them! And to the whole world.

The purpose of this blog is to bring everyone closer to this excellent and professionally run non-governmental non-profit organisation that has been committed to rehabilitating visually challenged individuals from all socio-economic backgrounds for 33 years. The idea is for you to see how dedicated teachers work towards empowering students to lead independent and dignified lives and how their lives are transformed. And how much more fun they have in the process.

I am grateful to have the support of the CEO, Mr. Srinivas and my friend, Aliya Amreen, a teacher in the Computer Centre without whose help this blog would not be possible. Every week I will be sharing pictures and information about some part of the school and I urge you to participate by commenting on the posts, visiting the campus, donating money, volunteering your time or simply passing on this blog link to people you know might be interested in NAB.

Begin your journey by watching this video about NAB Karnataka:

To learn more about the training and activities conducted at NAB, please watch this video:

Let us all open our hearts and minds and move from darkness to the light.