How these Entrepreneurs are contributing to the Blind Community

Nothing is impossible, especially if you put your heart to it and we at Envision truly believe that. Our faith has only been strengthened by the stories of strong willed people and their impact on the society at large. We are delighted to write about entrepreneurs who are absolute game changers for the visually impaired and low vision community. Some of these entrepreneurs are blind themselves and what is incredible to note is that, blindness didn’t stop these SuperWomen from making this world a better place. They did not let anything shackle their adventurous spirit.

Sabriye Tenberken, Co-Founder of Kanthari :

Sabriye Tenberken, raised in Germany, began to lose her sight at the age of 9. In her pursuit to study further she moved to Tibet, where she met her life partner Paul Kronenberg. Sabriye started the first school for blind in Tibet and this school formed the foundation of Braille Without Borders, an organization that empowers blind people to take their lives in their own hands. In 2005, the couple co-founded Kanthari in Kerala, India. Kanthari fosters participants from all over the world, who, like Sabriye, have a passion to make the world a better place.

Upasana Makati, Founder of White Print :

India’s first English lifestyle magazine in braille was founded by Upasana Makati in 2013. She collaborated with the National Association for the Blind in Mumbai, who help her with the publishing process and offered their technical know-how, including Braille printing. From its inception, she was clear to build a business model around it.

Chandni Rajendran and Saloni Mehta, Founders of Tactopus :

Tactopus specialises in creating multi-sensory and engaging learning experiences for children with vision loss and learning disabilities. Tactopus as a company intends to address the disparity in access to educational resources for children with vision loss. They envision a future where accessible options for toys, entertainment and learning resources are easily available on the shelves of mainstream stores. The aim is to make Tactoplus a generic product even the sighted can use.

Sushmeetha Bubna, Founder and Director of VoiceVision :

VoiceVision, established in the year 2000, is a centre that trains disabled people to use computers and other tech devices. In addition to this, since 2013 they also facilitate for differently-abled people to find their life partners. VoiceVision positively impacts the lives of several disabled individuals. Sushmeetha, born with congenital cataracts later suffered from multiple eye disorders, leading to vision loss in one eye at the age of ten and later on complete loss of sight at the age of twenty-four.

Tiffany Brar, Founder of Jyothirgamaya :

Tiffany Brar born in India, became blind six months after birth. She started the Jyothirgamaya Foundation in 2015, which provides training to blind people in rural areas, who are unable to come to the training center, and also residential training courses to blind people in all necessary skills needed  for their employment, integration in the society. Tiffany envisions a society without any physical or psychological barriers towards the blind – a barrier free environment where the blind can walk freely, can travel, can work, think for themselves, and live proud and dignified lives like other citizens.

It would not be over the top to call these women SuperHeroes by the virtue of their contribution to the society. Their desire and will to fight any and every obstacle, so that everyone has access to information, dignity and equality in the society. We salute and bow down to such stars.