Africa-Press – Cape verde. The president of the Association of the Visually Impaired (Adevic) today requested more financial support from partners to acquire individual equipment for writing and reading Braille and to expand the organization’s reach to other islands and peripheral areas.
Marciano Monteiro, who made this appeal in the context of World Braille Day, which was celebrated on Sunday, April 4th, said that the acquisition of this individual equipment is “essential for social inclusion,” especially for those in peripheral areas of the country, outside the center, who will have the chance to use it at home.
According to the head of Adevic, one of the main constraints in teaching the Braille system in the country is the lack of specific materials, which are ordered from abroad because they are not available on the market in Cape Verde.
“These materials from abroad are very expensive equipment, and most visually impaired or blind people come from low-income families who cannot afford them,” he emphasized.
Another challenge for the Braille system is the lack of qualified or trained teachers to provide instruction in writing and reading the system for visually impaired or blind students in classrooms.
In Cape Verde, he highlighted that the number of blind people using Braille is still not as high as desired.
In addition to the shortage of qualified personnel and equipment, the absence of documents and forms in Braille in public services “perpetuates the dependence” of blind citizens, depriving them of basic autonomy in accessing fundamental rights.
“Public services for the blind have a very large deficit in the country, because there is still no adequate or adapted information in the Braille system for this type of public,” he stated, adding that the number is “very small” compared to what is desired.
Marciano Monteiro emphasized the importance of Braille in public services, highlighting its relevance as a means of communication.
Despite these challenges, he highlighted gains in access to information and education, especially free education, among other benefits, considering that thanks to the Braille system, Adevic now has people who have reached “well-positioned” levels in the job market.
According to the same source, the teaching of Braille as a sign language should be included as a subject in the higher education curriculum, especially for those who want to pursue a career in education.
According to the president of Adevic, the institution’s main concern for 2026 is to continue working towards the widespread adoption of the Braille system among blind people, as well as those interested in learning it, considering it “one of the basic pillars for inclusion.”
He also appealed to all young people and children with visual impairments to dedicate themselves more and more to learning Braille, emphasizing that it is a key component for teaching and learning.
World Braille Day, created almost 200 years ago in France, celebrates the birth of Louis Braille, the creator of the system, with the aim of promoting the appreciation and continuous learning of this important method for the integration of visually impaired people into society.
For More News And Analysis About Cape verde Follow Africa-Press
