A blind woman gets a new chance at life

22 Mar 2010

A blind woman gets a new chance at life

Same, 19 March 2010 - To be a woman in Timor-Leste is a challenge. The opportunities are not the same for everybody, and being female and blind, the difficulties are even greater. Consider the case of Rita da Costa Fernandes, 25, and blind since birth.

Rita and her brother Julio, who is also blind, were living in the remote village of Tutuluhum, Manufahi district, when they heard of the Fuan Nabilan Foundation (Shiny Heart Foundation). Believing rumours that the foundation could cure their blindness, sister and brother made their way to Fuan Nablian.

While their dream of regaining sight did not come true, what they discovered at the foundation did change their lives.

The first step for Rita was mobility classes using a stick. Bolstered by her new confidence and understanding of her own body, Rita took some Braille classes, the code-language based on raised dots that are read by the touch of hands.

After some months, she could read and type, using a Braille type machine. The next step was to take computer classes. She types using software designed especially for blind people. A loudspeaker reads out loud what she is writing and after a few short clicks the computer automatically translates the text to the Braille code. Once finished, she prints the paper and can read with her hands.

She is still learning, but dreams of flying as high as her brother Julio who is now studying in Malaysia after having learned invaluable skills from Fuan Nabilan. "I want to learn more every day and to have more opportunities," she says. "Before I thought I could not do anything, but now I can think about going to school in Malaysia, to have a job and to help other people in the same situation. Nothing is impossible.