On January 2, 2024, I had the opportunity to visit the Blind People’s Association (BPA) in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, alongside many other VOSAP volunteers. It was a fantastic experience that taught me to never take anything for granted. We began with a visit to the “dark room” in the BPA, where we experienced what it’s like to see things as a blind person would. It was pitch black and incredibly challenging to navigate. We had to rely on our other senses, such as touch, sound, and smell, to get through the room. Although that there were different objects in the room, such as a temple, restaurant, and even a theatre, we couldn’t see any of it. This made us truly appreciate the daily challenges that blind people face just to move from one place to another. After this enlightening dark room experience, we attended an event where Mr. Pranav Desai (VOSAP founder) and many other VOSAP volunteers spoke. We distributed various kits, such as tea shop kits, auto mechanic kits, and salon kits, to our beneficiaries. It was truly incredible to see the joy on their faces and hear their stories. Our beneficiaries came from various places throughout the state of Gujarat to receive a kit that would help them start their own business. The Secretary of the Blind People’s Association, Mr. Bhushan Punani, was also present at the event. It’s amazing to see the amount of work he has done for the blind community over the years. I hope that we can all realize how fortunate we are to have the gift of sight and consider ways to enhance the lives of those who are visually impaired.
