Akash Kumar, a 19-year-old from Ballia in Uttar Pradesh, lives with his family of five. He has been visually impaired since birth.

His father, a farmer with limited income, supported the family through agricultural work. Akash's education ended at 8th standard in a mainstream school. Financial constraints combined with a lack of guidance about opportunities for visually impaired students prevented him from pursuing further education.

After being unemployed for several years, Akash Kumar tried to improve his prospects by completing a training course at the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped (NIVH) in Dehradun. Following this, in May 2024, he learned about the Eyeway Helpline through a friend and reached out seeking employment opportunities. An Eyeway counselor assessed his situation and first guided him to apply for the Divyangjan pension to help establish some financial support.

After securing this assistance, the counselor provided information about educational pathways for visually impaired students. The counselor facilitated Akash's admission to 10th standard through the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and helped him become a member of the Shravan IVR Talking Library operated by the National Association for the Blind (NAB), giving him access to study materials through his keypad phone.

With growing confidence from his educational progress, Akash approached Eyeway once again, this time seeking assistance in obtaining a smartphone through the Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase/Fitting of Aids and Appliances (ADIP) scheme. His case has now been forwarded to eyeway’s advocacy team for further follow-up and support.

Akash's future plans include taking an online Spoken English course from the Desai Foundation to improve his communication skills. His goal is to work in the railways, and the Eyeway team continues to support his journey toward employment and independence through their network of resources.

Team Eyeway