Mitra Jyothi

Mitra Jyothi

Vision

We believe that all persons with disability have the potential to become independent and self sufficient and given the right opportunities to achieve their goals and play a useful role in the community

Mission

We assist people with disability to become independent by

• Making them aware of thier rights and responsibilities

• Providing them with an enabling atmosphere through networking with other organizations and people

• Designing training programmes that teach them coping skills

• Supplementing educational needs

• Vocational training

• Job placements

Mitra Jyothi is a registered charitable trustformed in 1990 with the objective of integrating persons with disability into mainstream society. Although initially set up for the empowerment of visually challenged persons, we have now extended our work to cover persons with other disabilities as well.

We believe that people with disabilities can play a useful role in society provided they are given the opportunity to learn the basic skills that others learn. To this end, Mitra Jyothi has designed a variety of training and support programmes that will assist persons with disability become independent and instill in them the confidence to achieve their goals.

In order to achieve our objective, Mitra Jyothi has been networking with the media who help publicize our programmes and spread the message as widely as possible. We have also established contact with various NGOs that help to identify possible beneficiaries in which the regions they work. Mitra Jyothi also participate with NGOs and Government bodies for the advocacy to provide proper rights to the persons with disability according to the Disability Act 1995 (Equal opportunities, Protection of Rights and full participation)."

However we still have. a long way to go. The number of people with disabilities who need support is large. They need all the assistance they can get if our dream of empowering them is to come true. I appeal to all of you to lend whatever support you can.

About the founder:

Ms Madhu Singhal is visually impaired. She was born in Rohtak, Haryana in 1959. Her visual impairment did not deter her. She passed B.A with 1st division and was selected "The Best All Rounder Student" from Vaish woman college, Maharishi Dayanad University, Rohtak (Haryana) in 1981. She continued her M.A in Hindustani Classical Vocal Music in Maharishi Dayanand University and got again a 1st division in 1983.

Ms.Madhu Singhal moved to Bangalore and after going various training courses for visually impaired and also learning Kannada, the local language, she established Mitra Jyothi in 1990 so that she could help visually impaired women to gain confidence and dignity and become useful citizens. Through Mitra Jyothi, She initiated and is continuing to operate various programs for education and training of visually impaired and other disabilities.

Activities

Mitra Jyothi is a registered charitable trust working for persons with disability since 1990 in their Education, Training and Employment. We have the following activities at present:

1. Talking book library for visually impaired persons.
2. Sanchaya audio magazine in kannada.
3. Independent Living Skill Course for women with visual impairment.
4. Braille transcription center for visually impaired.
5. Basic education in computer for the visually impaired in collaboration with IBM and Enable India
6. Job Placement service for all persons with disability in Karnataka.

At present our activities are as follows:

1. Talking Book Library for the persons with visual impairment to provide text books and other literature, which caters all the needs of the blind students. In 1995 we have started with 55 cassettes and at present we have more than 22,000 audio cassettes (Educational and General) for the blind and from 15 members it raised to 803 members.

2. In 1992, Mitra jyothi decided to bring out Kannada Magazine named "Sanchaya" for the visually impaired to provide latest article stories, current affairs which publicizes in so many renowned Kannada magazine. So far we have brought out 120 issues of this magazine. Four volunteers have contributed their efforts to select the material and record.
(a) Started by Late Ms. Hemalatha B Patil
(b) Mrs. Amrita Srinivasan.
(c) Mrs. Indu Nadig.
(d) Mr. Nityanand
It is very popular amongst visually impaired.

3. In 1997, we have started Independent Living Skill Training for visually challenged women with hostel facility. The intension is to assist the visually challenged women to acquire skill for independent living. Out of 190 women trained so far 86 among them got employment in various factories and organizations. The duration of the course is four months.