International Women’s Day 2021: Braillist Veronica Is No Quitter

Celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD) also acknowledges the achievement of women living with disabilities and those who have played an equal role in empowering those in similar situation.

About Veronica

Meet Veronica Narayan from the Fiji Society for the Blind (FSB), who works with the Ministry of Education converting textbooks, internal and external exam papers into braille.

Born completely blind, the 42-year-old was introduced to formal education through the institute and that paved the way forward in her academic journey.

Reminiscing her late grandmother, Ms Narayan shares her story about the significance of recognising the important role of women.

She shared that while growing up; women with disabilities were often looked down on in our society.

“When my grandmother was alive, there were a lot of people talking about me that I would bring bad luck to them if I were to mingle with them and all. For me I always think that if able bodied women are able to socialise with others, why can’t I?,” Ms Narayan stated.

“All I want is to be treated the same as any abled bodied person because disabled or not, we are equally created in the image of God,” she said.

Originally from Somosomo, Naqara in Taveuni, Ms Narayan enrolled at the Fiji Society for the Blind (FSB) in 1985 when she was six - years - old.

“In those years, I was introduced to braille, this was my pen and paper and I cannot go without it.

“I learnt how to use braille when I was in Year Two when the head teacher at Saint Marcellin Primary School allowed the teachers from the FSB to teach me braille in school.

Equality 

Ms Narayan hopes people would also recognise the rights of women with disabilities.

She said all women with disabilities should be involved in decision making because it recognises the importance of equality.

“Who better would understand the challenges of women with disabilities than themselves; that is why it is important to include us in any decision or policy making process because we too have rights and need to be involved.”

Her education 

Ms Narayan completed her secondary school education at Cathedral Secondary School (now Sacred Heart College) in Laucala Bay, Suva.

She enrolled there in 1994, where she relied on dictated notes. This was a challenge.

“In Years 10 and 11, it was a challenge for students to dictate to me because I could not see what were written on the blackboard.

“Despite this, CSS was my best school because the teachers there understood me and didn’t write on the blackboard so when the students got wild on why the teacher was not writing on the board, the teachers would tell them ‘no I will dictate because of Veronica’ I was happy and I thank God for what the teachers did to me,” she said.

Despite not been successful in her final exams, Ms Narayan was determined to show others that she too can have a normal education.

She then went on to pursue pre-vocational in 1999 to learn basic living skills such as cooking and the use of computers; she graduated in 2003.

Given her experience with the use of braille in mainstream education, she wanted to share her experience and knowledge with the students at FSB.

“I wanted to teach other students with visual impairment how to use braille because it is our pen and paper.

“Other students in mainstream education may not understand the importance of the use of braille in their learning which is why I applied for the position as a braillist with FSB” she said.

This is the ninth year Ms Narayan has been teaching braille at FSB.

Feedback: laiseana.nasiga@fijisun.com.fj