Executive Editor: Hajra Muhammad Saleem Proofreader: Saiyed Hassan Ali

Sub Editor: Waqar Razak Graphic Designer: Erum Haroon

Blind Resource Foundation Pakistan

Limelight News Letter

We Live By Faith, Not By Sight
Volume 4, Issue 7
October 2022—March 2023

Inside this issue:

Inclusive Urdu Speech Competition
Inclusive Urdu Speech 1
12th October 2022
Competition
The 17th Karachi Interna- 1 Apart from working on braille literacy and empowering people with
tional Book Fair visual challenges in the society, Blind Resource Foundation Pakistan
also focuses on the skill development of our youth. With this in mind,
National Urdu Braille 2 we organize annual meta-curricular competitions and other recreation-
Conference al activities to push and polish the capacities of the youngsters in our
community. This year, on the occasion of International White Cane
Highlights And Happen- 2
Safety Day, our team hosted an Inclusive Urdu Speech Competition “Inclusion Levels Asymmetries” for
Appeal to the Audience 2 the students of class VI - X at Mohammad Ali Jinnah University Auditorium.
Our Story 3 This experience gave a unique opportunity to both sighted and blind students to come together and
portray their skills in a healthy spirit. Participating schools included Agha Khan Higher Secondary
School, Wahaj Hussain Schooling System, Mama Parsi, Frobles, Ida Rieu School, Government Special
Education and Rehabilitation Complex, Quaid-e-Azam Rangers School, Noor Ul Ilm School For Special Children, Silver Line School
For The Blind, Fatima Shah Academy For The Blind. VISL WES School For Children With Special Needs And Slow Learners, Pakistan
Disabled Foundation, and PAB National. Our esteemed panel of judges included Mr. Rizwan Zaidi, Mr. Abid Ali Umang and Mr. Syed
Itfan Ali. Chief Guest Mr. Zubair Sheikh (President,MAJU) and Mr. Hassan AK Murchie (Principal, Madrasa-an-Noor For the Blind
South Africa) Distributed shields among the top five position holders along with the award for the most dedicated member of the year
which was awarded to Mr. Waqar Razak (Executive Member, BRFP) and the award for academic excellence which was presented to
Dr. Anita Wilson. This competition was a great success, and we hope to continue providing such opportunities to young members of
our community in the future.

The 17th Karachi International Book Fair

8th-12th December 2022

The 17th Karachi International Book Fair (KIBF) took place at the Expo Center
Karachi, where the Blind Resource Foundation had a dedicated stall aimed at
creating awareness for the visually challenged community. Our stall showcased
a wide range of braille books, including the Holy Quran and Qaida, all subject
books from Sindh Textbook Board for grade 1 - 6, inclusive calendars, maga-
zines, writing slate, stencils, white cane, adapted sports equipment, and board games. Our team was readily available
to guide and answer any questions visitors had while educating them about individuals with visual challenges. We
were delighted to welcome several notable visitors, including Mr. Jhaman Das Rathi, the faculty from Government Spe-
cial Education and Rehabilitation Center Gulistan-e-
Johar Karachi, and Mr. Hafiz Naeem from Jamat-e-
Islami. Additionally, we had students from various
schools and colleges and families from all over the prov-
ince visit our stall. The event garnered significant media
coverage, which helped spread the word about our mis-
sion to create awareness and empower individuals with
visual challenges.
 Blind Resource Foundation Pakistan Limelight News Letter

National Urdu Braille Conference

5th-7th January 2023

A three day National Urdu Braille Conference was hosted by Blind Resource
Foundation Pakistan on the occasion of World Braille Day. The event was held
at the Youth Development Center, Karachi from 5th - 7th January, 2023 for
the promotion, upgradation, and unification of the Urdu Braille code. BRFP
had organized a flagship conference in 2021 followed by a summit to highlight the
journey so far in 2022 that had brought Braille experts, heads of special institutes, and
stakeholders together to share their valuable knowledge in an attempt to uplift Urdu
Braille code and collaborate with the national organizations . The present conference
was the third phase in this mission which helped to cement the combined efforts of
updating the Urdu Braille code in the form of a revised contraction booklet. Dignitaries
with the mutual vision of enhancing braille literacy resources for the visually chal-
lenged participated in the conference. These honorable guests included Mr. Jhaman
Das Rathi, Mr. Jumma Khan, Mr. Hasan, Mr. Shahid Ahmed Memon, Mr. Qari Saad
Noor along with Braille Experts from 30 different institutes from all over Pakistan.

Highlights And Happenings

 New titles added to our braille library: “One
By Two”, “Writing On The Wall”, "Khulasa Tul
Tajweed", “A Walk Among Trees”, and Jalaibian”

 Inclusive Calendar 2023 launched on the occasion of International Day For Differ-
ently Abled People during the event celebration at Maritime Museum

 Team BRFP handed over the complete course textbooks of grade 1-6 in Braille to
Mr. Ghulam Nabi Nizamani, Director General, Sindh Persons with Disabilities Pro-
tection Authority (SPDPA) in the presence of Mr. Riaz Memon from PAB National,
Mr. Muhammad Abid, Mr. Shahid and Mr. Muhammad
Shakeel.

 Ramadan Calendar 1444 Hijri launched for the resi-

dents of Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta, Peshawar, and
Faisalabad

 Team BRFP celebrated International Women’s Day at the

mina bazar hosted by Pakistan Disabled Foundation.

Page 2
 Blind Resource Foundation Pakistan Limelight News Letter

Blind Resource Foundation Pakistan is a not-for-profit organization. Since its establishment in 2015,
we have been tirelessly involved in developing resources for the blind and visually impaired people in
Primary Address:
our community. Our journey began with a mission to revive the printing of braille Noorani Qaida and
House no R-93 sector 16/A-
1 Malik cooperative society Quran Majeed, along with making the twenty seven liner writing slate readily available and distributed
Gulzar hijri, Karachi free of cost all over Pakistan . From thenceforth, BRFP has published numerous books containing Is-
lamic and general literature, eminent among these are “Jumme Ka Tauhfa”, “BRFP Ke Kitchen Se”
and “MS Word With JAWS”. Our milestones also include the publication of Urdu braille magazines
Phone: 0300-1112737 namely “Dil-e-Beena”, “Payam-e-Sehar” and “Abgeenay” for children which is the first of its kind in
Email: Pakistan. Apart from developing literature, BRFP also LIST OF ON-GOING PROJECTS
brfpakistan@gmail.com
conducts online Quran classes and frequent training on  Quran and Qaida
Website:
www.brfpakistan.org various topics such as mobility, self development, cook-  Online Quran Classes
Facebook: ing and personal grooming etc for the visually chal-  Quran Braille Training
lenged.  Braille Publications
 Availability of Assistive Equipment
Along the years, we have organized awareness ses-
Mission Statement  Braille Magazine –Dil-e-Bina
sions, promotions of Arabic braille, awards for aca-
To provide all adequate  Braille Kids Magazine—Abgeenay
resources and proper demic excellence, vocational guidance and extra cur-  Training and Awareness Campaigns
guidance to the blind for ricular activities including speech, quiz, and braille  Conversion of Mutala-e-quran in braille
independent living. typing competitions. These initiatives are taken to en-  National Urdu Braille Upgradation and unifica-
sure our youth are provided with a platform to social- tions
Vision Statement
Replace “Disable” with ize, share their achievements and narrate the stories of LIST OF UP COMING PROJECTS
“Capable”, and form an their transformation. Currently we are putting together  Duxbury Training
inclusive society where an online audiobook library and collaborating volun-  International White Cane Safety Day
all negative metaphors
tarily with Sindh Government to convert the textbooks  International Day for Differently Abled Persons
and signifiers, which
misrepresents a visually of grade 1 to 12 in braille. In the future, we aim and  Launching of Gregorian Calendar 2024
challenged individual’s aspire to focus on skill development as well as set up a  World Braille Day.
image in the society, are school for the visually challenged. The outreach in  Nationwide Arabic Braille Training
eliminated.
being a blessing to others is a resource for reflection  Mathematic braille training
and gratitude for our team. Our goal is contributing in
all possible ways to better shape the lives of people who live by faith, not by sight.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEAVE A LEGACY?

“You create your life through the inner
power of your being, whose source is
within you and yet beyond the selves that
you know” - Jane Roberts.
BRFP could not have achieved any of its
milestones without the support of our
donors and volunteers who have been by
our side since day one. Your contribu-
tions in the form of financial and human
resource have enabled BRFP to carry on
its mission of providing resources in the
area of education, skill development and
independent living for the visually chal-
lenged, We request for your cooperation
which will help us enter new phases of growth
and further strengthen our noble cause of
gifting these resource to those who need it
most.
Account Title: Blind Resource Foundation
Pakistan
A/C# 106800267270206
IBAN No# PK75BKIP0106800267270206
Bank: Bank AlIslami Moulana Yousuf Ludhi- “Talent wins games, but teamwork
anwi Shaheed Rd Branch and intelligence wins champion-
Contact: Waqar Younus #0331-8115883 ships."
Brfp: 0300-1112737
Team Blind Resource Foundation
Pakistan