TAXILA, Dec 11: Naveed Anjum, 25, is visually impaired since childhood but that has not impaired her spirit.

She has done her masters, is teaching children with bad sight in two institutions and preparing for M.Phil at the same time -- all very inspiring for her special students.

Indeed, her grit and single-minded devotion have much to teach the people who have sight but wallow in self-pity. She can be a symbol of self-reliance to anyone who believes in dignity and is willing to do hard work.

Naveed Anjum developed some complications in hear eyes when she was six years old. After two years doctors diagnosed tumor in her eyeballs. She lost her eyesight when the doctors removed the tumor. Although this darkened her life, she did not lose hope and will. She was determined to face the challenges and brighten her life with the light of education. In 1991, she got admission in a school for special persons at Rawalpindi.

After passing her primary examination from there, she got admission in a private school at Taxila and studied with the normal students. She got overall first position in middle standard examination and passed matriculation examination competing with the normal students in 1998.

In 1999, she joined Masha’al College Wah Cantonment and done her graduation from the Punjab University and joined Nasheeman, an institute established and runs by Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) for special persons.

She started teaching visually impaired children. She also got training of computer and joined as part time telephone operator at a local telephone exchange for some time. Later she quit the job for higher studies, did her masters in special education from Allama Iqbal Open University and now doing her M.Phil in the same subject.

She also runs an institute, Ujala, for the rehabilitation of visually impaired children and equipping them with various skills so that they could become active member of the society.

“It is my mission that I remove stigma attached with blind children and motivate them so that they could become self-reliant, and lead a life with dignity and courage and their family members do not consider them as burden.”

She said that all the staff at her institute except guard and office secretary, are visually impaired. Ms Anjum said according to an estimate, there are about 14 to 15 million special people with different forms of disabilities in Pakistan.

She added that often the attitude of society becomes unfriendly and dominating towards the special people.

Inadequate education and unequal employment opportunities shattered their hopes for leading respectable life in society. She said in some cases, the parents’ behaviour towards special children is unsympathetic. It has been observed that they hesitate to invest in such children’s education, thinking it is wastage of time and money.

Physically-challenged girls are kept at home to help other members in house chores. They are also not encouraged to get education. She said that it was her aim of life to bring such children to the mainstream through providing them with education and various skills so that they could not be considered a burden on their families.

Responding to a question she said she wanted to provide education, training in information technology, sports and recreation to the visually challenged children.

She appreciated the government efforts for approving two per cent quota of job for special people in all government and private organisations as this step would play pivotal role in building self-confidence among this segment of society.

She said that if the special persons are provided conducive environment, assistance and support from families and the society, they could become productive members of the society.

About her future prospects, Mr Anjum said she was launching a website for visually impaired people of Taxila and Wah Cantonment. Talking to this reporter S.A. Naeem Durrani, Principal, Nasheeman lauded the courage, creativity and commitment of Ms Anjum who has strengthened the blind section of the institute with her devotion.

Sageela Khan, head of department Nasheeman Institute also was all praise for the untiring efforts of the Naveed Anjum for the helping the visually impaired children.

She urged the government that Ms Anjum should be given award in recognition of her devotion and services for the blind people.