Reported by:
Victoria Hwang Jr3S(3)
Photography by:
Kuen Cheng High School Photography Club
On the 25th of March 2023, the Kuen Cheng High School Geography Department held a trip to visit the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB). To most participants, it was an eye-opening experience that changed their perspective on life.
Once the school bell had rung, all participants and teachers gathered on the ground floor of Block A to initiate roll call. As soon as everyone had arrived, the teachers started bringing the students to the Malaysian Association for the Blind. All the attendees arrived at the MAB auditorium at 8.30am sharp.
After a few minutes passed, the CEO of the Malaysian Association for the Blind, Mr George Thomas entered the auditorium. He started off his speech by apologizing for the delay and proceeded to explain the concept of MAB. The MAB was established in 1951 which was before Malaya gained independence. It is a non-profit organization which mainly raises money by receiving donations from the public. Their main goal is to give opportunities to the visually- impaired and lead them to be able to have a normal life.
The MAB consists of 3 skill training programs which allows the visually-impaired to live life independently. Mr Thomas also stated that at least half of the staff at MAB were people living with visual impairment. The main method of communication at MAB is technology, which in turn allows the organization to reduce the amount of paper used. Some of the occupations that the MAB focuses on teaching are office management, audio producing and massage.
Mr Thomas next mentioned the facilities at MAB. There is a library which contains various books written in braille. They also have sports which allows the members to stay fit and healthy. Besides that, the premises also include a few rehab centers for those who are in need of help. Mr Thomas ended his speech by mentioning his dedication to the organization and its people.
Afterwards is a speech given by a staff member at MAB, Ms. Siti Huraizah. She focused on briefing about the different types of visual impairment, famous people who are also visually impaired, and correct methods to aid those who are blind. It was an extremely informative and powerful speech given by a long time member of the MAB. To show their gratitude, some teachers from the Kuen Cheng High School Geography Department handed out some fruit baskets and souvenirs to both the speakers at the event.
The practical activities set off at 10am. Some students were requested to put on a blindfold and hold a cane to mimic a blind person’s vision. Subsequently, a partner was given to each of the students in blindfolds to assist them in going through an obstacle course while being blindfolded. The students had to trust their partner’s guidance and follow their instructions. It was a powerful experience that allowed everyone to put themselves in the shoes of the visually- impaired and understand the difficulties they face in navigating the world around them.
