XN000022-1978-12-08 — Page 13

12

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1978

+REVOLUTION+ IN THE BLIND WELFARE SCENE

*****

A BLIND WOMAN SOCIAL WORKER OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT TODAY (FRIDAY) SPOKE OF A +REVOLUTION IN THE LOCAL BLIND WELFARE SCENE THAT HAD TRANSFORMED THE LIVES OF BLIND PEOPLE OVER THE LAST THREE DECADES.

ADDRESSING THE FIFTH ASIAN CONFERENCE ON WORK FOR THE BLIND AT LEE GARDENS HOTEL, MISS LUCY CHING, HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT'S BLIND WELFARE UNIT, SAID THAT 30 YEARS AGO, PARENTS FACED WITH THE TRAUMATIC PROBLEM OF A BLIND CHILD WERE PRACTICALLY ON THEIR OWN.

BLIND PEOPLE AT THAT TIME GREW UP DEPRIVED, RESENTED, UNEDUCATED AND SEEN ONLY AS A FAMILY BURDEN, SAID MISS CHING IN HER TALK ON +EMPLOYMENT OF BLIND WOMEN+.

TODAY, SHE SAID, THEY WORK AND CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR FAMILY INCOME, LIVE NORMAL LIVES IN THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE RESPECT FOR THEMSELVES.

MISS CHING SAID THAT OVER THESE DECADES, THROUGH CONCERTED EFFORTS BY THE GOVERNMENT AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR, THE BLIND HAVE BEEN GRADUALLY PROVIDED WITH MORE FACILITIES IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND ASSISTED IN FINDING JOBS.

SINCE 1968, SHE SAID, THE JOB PLACEMENT UNIT OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAS FOUND JOBS FOR 400 VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE ONE-THIRD OF WHOM ARE WOMEN AND THEY WORK AS CLERKS, TELEPHONE OPERATORS, CLEANING WORKERS, MACHINE OPERATORS AND ASSEMBLERS.

+1 AM A BLIND WOMAN MYSELF, AND I THINK WE CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT WE HAVE PROVED OURSELVES TO BE HARDWORKING, CAPABLE OF BEING SELF-SUPPORTING AND OF REAL USE TO THE COMMUNITY OF WHICH WE ARE A PART,+ SHE SAID.

MISS CHING POINTED OUT THAT EDUCATION HAD BEEN THE MAINSPRING OF THE PAST YEARS' IMPROVEMENTS -- EDUCATION OF THE BLIND TO DO JOBS, AND OF THE COMMUNITY TO BE MORE TOLERANT AND UNDERSTANDING AND TO ACCEPT THAT BLIND PEOPLE ARE NOT A RACE APART TO BE FEARED AND AVOIDED.

+BLIND PEOPLE ARE JUST ORDINARY PEOPLE WHO HAPPEN TO BE BLIND, AND WHO LIVE AND LAUGH, FALL IN LOVE AND GET MARRIED, AND NEED TO WORK FOR THEIR LIVING LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, SHE SAID,

/13