Latest News of the

Sri Lanka National Federation of the Visually handicapped

(S.L.N.F.V.)

Bi - Annual General meeting

Bi - Annual General meeting of the federation was held on the 24th of Aug.2002 and about 40 members were present. Elected the following members for the council.

We donated few number of Buddhist Dhamma School Books printed in Sinhala Braille to the School For the Blind Ratmalana.

Hon. Patron : Reverent Ovitigamuwe Manirathana (B.E.D. , M.E.D. , M.A.)

Hon. President :-Mr. Wimal Wickramasinghe ( L.L.B., Attorney at Law, Notary Public)

Hon. Secretary :- Mr.S.A.Gunasena (B.A. (Hon. Econ), L.L.B., Attorney at Law, Notary Public)

Hon. Treasurer :- Mr. S.G.Jinadasa

Vice president:- Norman Saranaweera

Asst.Secretory  :-Mr. M.Jayasundara (B.A.)

Asst. Treasurer:-Mr. Samantha Liyanage

Committee members:- Mr. K.H.Premawansa

                                 Mr. Ananda Somasiri

                                Miss Champika Damayanthi

                                Mr. R.A.Sunil

                                Miss Geethamali Vinodika

We have now started to Braille quarterly magazine. One is for all our members called NANAPAHANA. The other is specially ment for the blind women which has many special articals related to the women.

Last February we formed a Blind Women Forum affiliated to the national Federation of the Vissually handicapped. Its Chairwoman is Mrs. D,G,Kusumalatha (B.A.), Secratery is Miss.Udeni Chandrika Somathilaka, and the tressure is Miss. Rasika Nilmini Damayanthi(B.A.).

Last May we participated a two day workshop in Anuradhapura, the capitol of  North Central Province in Sri Lanka sponsered by SHIA FOUNDATION.

 

We are proudly say that, SHIA (Swedish Handicapped International) Foundation donated us a latest Computer and screen reader softwear (HAL-4.50).

Our special thanks for SHIA Foundation.

      28th Apr 2002:- The North western province affiliate for organization will hold a new year festival with the participation of it’s blind members. The venue is Weerambugedara play ground in the district of Kurunegala.

   Last year we held an exhibition to create awareness to the public about the Braille equipment using for the education field by the blind student it took a very good publicity among the sighted students.

  Nov 9th 2001, we held international white canes day. We have started two Braille magazines (Sinhalese language)  one is specially for the blind women. The other one is for gents. We have already setup a blind women’s forum. From this forum we hope to promote blind women's standards of living.

 

Computer Training program for the blind

To face the present and future challenges it is very important to access the blind people to the computer technology. Therefore our federation has desided to start a computer training course for our members. To do this we need assistance from the donors. Those who would like to support this program please provide the following assistance.

1. Braille and talking books (cassettes) in computer science

2. Few number of personal computers ( Pentiam-1 or above)

Since we have a computer donated by SHIA Foundation we already started our computer training course for the members.

Ham Radio News - New Hams

We can proudly say that Mr.S.A.Gunasena, (4S7AG) , Mr. S.Gamage Jinadasa (4S7SG) and Mr. Wimal Wickramasinghe (4S7WM) has passed the Amateur Radio - general class Examination and got their licences reasently.

Now Mr. Gunasena is on the air. He got a vhf transceiver as a loan and other two don't have any equipment.

 

 

E-mail:- slblind@hotmail.com

 

Date of last edited: Monday, February 24, 2003