The HEAD Vision Home for Children with Visual Impairment
The Target Group
The beneficiaries of the HEAD Vision Home are blind and partially sighted children age between 5 and 15 in Humla district. Their parents and family members and the community at large are the indirect target group of the project.
What does the HEAD Vision Home do?
On May 14, 2012, Head Nepal has set up a hostel, (Head Vision Home) in Simikot for the blind and partially sighted children. The HEAD Vision Home is a residential programme to equip blind and partially sighted children with the necessary tools for successful integration in a mainstream school. For young children the programme is a preparation for mainstream education. For children who are already in school it is a supplementary course to provide them with effective methods for their successful studies. Currently four totally blind and 21 partially sighted children, all together 25 children from different VDCs are being trained in the center. In the first year of the program, totle 12 children were enrolled, in 2013 8 other more children have been registered and 5 more children have been enrolled in 2014.
- Read Profiles of Students Enrolled in 2021
- Read Profiles of Students Enrolled in 2020
- Read Profiles of Students Enrolled in 2019
- Read Profiles of Students Enrolled in 2018
- Read Profiles of Students Enrolled in 2017
- Read Profiles of Students Enrolled in 2016
- Read Profiles of Students Enrolled in 2015
- Read Profiles of Students Enrolled in 2014
- Read Profiles of Students Enrolled in 2013
- Read Profiles of Students Enrolled in 2012
The curriculum is focused on the following areas:
- Braille literacy in different languages
- Mobility training: independent movement with the use of the white cane
- Daily living skills such as personal hygiene and some housework
- Computer literacy with the use of screen reading software
- Self confidence and communication training to accept the disability and respond to challenges and discrimination.
- Training on tactile graphics, drawing of maps and diagrams.
Along with the above mentioned activities, everyday in the morning and evening and on holidays as well, the children in Head Vision Home study and practice regular study and other so many of extra-curricular activities such as, music, computer training with screen reader software, games/sports, danceing gardening etc. in the hostel. Listen to local songs composed and sung by the children at Head Vision Home.
After one to two years of intensive training, students will be successfully integrated into the regular mainstream schools using knowledge and methods they acquired during the programme at HEAD Nepal Blind School. However they will be staying at the center until their grade 10.
Compared to the first experience of a mobile blind school in 2011, a residential programme is more effective for the following reasons:
- the teacher can concentrate on preparation and implementation of classes, as he doesn't have to travel several hours per day anymore to visit the villages
- classes will take place on a daily basis
- the residential setting ensures continued practice, e.g. of daily living skills, even outside the classroom
- the regular contact with other visually impaired children shows the students that they are not alone with their problems and they can build their confidence together.
- integration of older children in nearby schools can be easily supported.
