Ek Kadam Aur Global Conference to throw light on critical issues of vision challenges
New Delhi : The nonprofit organization Ek Kadam Aur Foundation (EKAF) will be organizing a conference on “Prevention and Treatment of Visual Challenges and Educating Children and Adults with Blindness” from 30 – 31 October 2023 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Connaught Place, New Delhi. The aim of the conference is to promote awareness about the challenges of visual impairment in India. The two-day global conference will focus on the prevention, treatment, and education of children and adults with blindness. Experts from India, Australia, Mauritius, Ireland, and the US will share their insights on the issue and discuss the roadmap to help children with blindness with the development of life skills and train them to be school-ready.
In this conference, the Ek Kadam Aur Foundation will host experts and professionals from the fields of visual impairment, ophthalmology, optometry, education, technology, and rehabilitation. More than 200 people will participate in the conference, including experts from medical, education, nonprofit, research, pharmaceutical, corporate, and government departments.
“The conference aims to share the latest research, best practices, and innovations in the field, and to foster collaboration among participants to enhance the quality of life of children with visual challenges. Through this event, we hope to promote greater awareness, understanding, and support for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, and to empower them to lead fulfilling and productive lives. I hope the insightful deliberations of some of the most eminent experts in the field and the discussions among all participants will make the event a fruitful platform to strategize ways to effectively combat eye ailments,” mentioned Dr Satish Tripathi, Founder and Director of Ek Kadam Aur Foundation.
Highlighting the relevance of the conference on prevention and treatment of visual challenges, Dr Tripathi added, “India is home to 320,000 blind children, the majority of these children live in remote areas. Due to extreme poverty, children with blindness from the remotest parts of the country do not have access to rehabilitation programs or quality education. Also, according to a survey conducted by NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training), only 29.16 per cent of children with blindness receive education, with a high dropout rate. Our objective is to collectively address these concerns and build an inclusive society with equal opportunities for all.”
Adding more vibrancy to the conference, there will be a special performance by Shilpa Shanker Narain, an accomplished classical musical performer with a profound connection with the music genre Dhrupad. In addition, children with blindness who are studying under the Ek Kadam Aur Foundation’s Arunodaya (Sunrise) for Blind program will also showcase their talents at the conference. This will be a great opportunity for them to shine and inspire the audience.