Kush Verma was born blind to an affluent family in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Assuming that he will remain dependent for the rest of his life, Kush’s parents hadn’t the slightest clue that the boy could also have a bright future.

Till the age of ten, Kush sat idle at home while his sighted brother went to school. On a friend’s suggestion, he was finally enrolled in a special institute where he progressed, picking up braille and mobility skills.

Gradually he started aspiring for more. Intrigued by technology, he applied for a Bachelors in Computer Applications in Jaipur University. But his parents didn’t allow him to travel out of the state. Crippled with their over-protectiveness and limited knowledge, they coerced Kush to compromise on his career choice.

He complied, admitting into a BA course nearby. But he was unhappy. When he reached out to Eyeway, our counselor advised him a middle path until the parents could be convinced to let Kush make his own decisions.

He was initiated into an Accessibility Testing programme at Technical Training Institute in Pune. Since the first nine months of the course would be conducted online, it gave Eyeway some time to counsel the family to send Kush away for the three months practical training on the campus.

Interactions with the visually impaired counselor who shared accounts of other successful blind people brought about a subtle change in their parenting approach, helping them shift focus from Kush’s blindness to his interests and abilities.

There are millions of blind children who lose out on opportunities because of their families’ ignorance and a shielding attitude, which further disables the child. Awareness of possibilities and recognition of the child’s potential can help in successful integration of these children into the mainstream.