The National Association for the Blind (NABK)

The organisation conducts a Foundation Course encompassing rehabilitation, mobility, daily living skills, and employability programmes for the visually impaired. Its rehabilitation initiative aids individuals in adapting to vision loss, assisting in acquiring Government provisions and local registrations. The mobility programme offers extensive training in navigating public spaces, while daily living skills cover hygiene, self-care, and Braille literacy. Additionally, its employability curriculum includes digital literacy, industrial/technical training, and self-employment support, enabling graduates to access various job sectors such as technology, industry, and entrepreneurship. Through partnerships and tailored programmes, it has successfully facilitated employment and entrepreneurial opportunities, empowering visually impaired individuals across Karnataka.

NABK's distinctive Train-the-Trainer programme stands as the sole initiative nationwide offering mobility and community-based rehabilitation training for the visually impaired. This unique programme produces 16 new instructors annually, facilitating the establishment of fresh taluk-level locations each year, resulting in a capacity expansion of 400-500 beneficiaries annually. Lasting for six months, the course involves a subsequent one-year internship at NABK centres, with separate hostels provided for male and female trainees on campus. It emphasizes practical exposure to rural operations within taluk centres, seeking candidates with a dedicated attitude towards social welfare and qualifications such as BA, BED, BSW, MSW, diploma in social welfare, or ITI coupled with work experience.

The Rural Outreach Programme at NABK brings independence and self-sustainability to visually impaired individuals in rural areas. By establishing taluk-level centres and extending its reach across rural Karnataka, its community-based rehabilitation initiative ensures that the visually challenged in these areas can lead independent and self-sustaining lives.

NABK's Community Based Rehabilitation Programme reaches rural Karnataka by establishing Taluk Level Centers and collaborating with local communities, NGOs, and Panchayats. it has surveyed 551 villages, identifying 706 visually impaired and thirty-nine hearing impaired individuals. Assisting them in acquiring Government provisions like Disability ID cards and pensions, they enroll them in the Foundation Course at these centres, providing crucial life skills, mobility, vocational training, and self-employment skills. The initiative also includes projects in Anekal Taluk and plans for a new centre in Kundapur, Udupi district, garnering significant support and recognition from Zilla Panchayats and Taluka Panchayats for their outstanding work in identifying, training, and rehabilitating visually impaired individuals.