Invisible Light

While at the University of Nebraska-Kearny, Anna Tsyrdia (UGRAD 2008-2009), volunteered at the Kearny public library, where she was impressed by the facilities and special services provided for disabled people. Soon after Anna returned to Donetsk, Ukraine, in summer, 2009, she met Larysa Sayevych, the head of the Donetsk Center for the Visually Impaired, and Liudmyla Gusleva, the chairman of Donetsk City Organization for the Blind and Visually Impaired, and realized that there was an opportunity to improve assistance to the disabled community in Donetsk.

For three months Anna worked with two trainers with visual disabilities to develop and conduct computer literacy and English language courses for eight visually impaired participants at the Donetsk Center for the Visually Impaired. The goal of the “Invisible Light” project was to provide computer literacy and English language skills so that participants could find new professional opportunities and improve their lives.

Participants of the training learned how to operate computers through JAWS (Job Access with Speech) software, which provides blind and visually impaired people with access to information via text-to-speech or Braille display. In addition, participants learned the basics of Windows and how to use audio resources on the internet. Additionaly, all participants created email accounts.

The courses improved not only professional skills, but also the self-confidence of participants. According to Larysa Sayevych, “The biggest success of the project was the change that we brought into people’s lives. Some of them had been in a deep depression, totally desperate and hopeless. While attending our courses they met new friends and developed a new positive attitude towards their own lives. Now they are full of new ideas.” Anna Tsyrdia agreed that “the participants learned to hope and believe that they can do something without the help of others. I think that the improvement of personal motivation of the participants is the biggest achievement of the project.”

The unique success of the “Invisible Light” project gained recognition by the public and grabbed local media attention. The project organizers made a presentation about the program on Ukrainian National Radio. In addition, Anna Tsyrdia, Larysa Sayevych and Diana Belskaja (the youngest participant of the project, who had only recently lost her vision) were invited to give an interview on Donetsk Municipal Television. Anna and her colleagues hope to build on these successes to secure additional funding and community support for the continuation of this project.