Functions of centers :

Dormitories, Schools for Visually Impaired (Low Vision and Blind Children), Intergrated Education Program, CBR (Community-Based Rehabilitation), Health Care, Prevention of Blindness, Low Vision Program, Vocational Training and Assistance, Technical Assistance, Production and Supply of Learning Materials, Consultations etc.

The centers may specialize on certain functions or on a certain set of functions.

Each center is controlled by a local Board.

The CFBT’s work for the blind in 2002

• Education for the Visually Impaired
  The schools at the CFBT’s service centers had the following enrolment figures for PP and IE and we gave services to these numbers of beneficiaries learning towards a job and studying at universities:

PP = Preparatory Program
IE = Integrated Education
Names of centers compare previous page

• Some outcome of education at the CFBT
  During 1981 – 2002, which comprises a period of the 22 years, 60 of our proteges went to higher education and studies at universities. 26 of these students finished their studies and have now jobs, 4 dropped out. In 2003 there will be 16 more blind students who made their way to universities through the CFBT.

• Selected activities
  

We also initiated highly responsive religious (Christian) activities and conducted a Moral Sunday School every Sunday. Moreover, on several occasions CFBT staff took 5 to 7 blind children to Sunday services at the local Khon Kaen Church.

• Caring and sharing at CFBT centers
  Supported by local resources & Christoffel Blindenmission (CBM)

  Daily work
  In 2002, we regularly served 160 visually impaired persons at our Khon Kaen center. 110 of them lived at the Dormitory. 35 younger children attended our center’s School for the blind where our special teachers prepare them in a “Preparatory Program” (PP) to attend regular schools. 75 older pupils go to schools outside the center every morning and return every evening. This is our “Integrated Education” program (IE).
  
  444 persons received CFBT’s regular services at Roi-Et : 36 in preparation towords attending schools, 54 in IE, 14 were university students, and 340 persons attended vocational training.
  
  Special course
  The CFBT gave a number of special courses to the blind children, to their families and to helpers, as described below (in brackets : participants):

Projects at Khon Kaen

• English Camp : Namphong, December 2002 (43)

• Basic management skills : The CFBT center at Korat, 3 days in January 2002 (20)

• Mid-year tuition for the blind students in primary and secondary grade (60)

Projects at Roi-Et

In addition to the regular daily work with the visually impaired persons both at the center and at their homes, we ran training courses (in brackets : participants) :

1. Workshop “Social awareness on Low Vision” and “How to use the sight effectively” (52)

2. Family workshop “How to support Low Vision persons” (52)

3. Art camp for Low Vision children and their friends. (14)

4. Seminar for the Deaf on sign language / vocational training. (135)

5. Training on “eye care and vision screening” (with local hospital)

6. Training on “eye care and vision screening” for health care teachers (80)

7. Workshop on making teaching materials for Low Vision children (16)

8. Training course for community leaders : Primary eye care and vision screening (done in collaboration with local hospital, figures not available)

9. Family workshop on development of teaching aids / toys for cerebral palsy and multiply disabled blind children (35)
   
   125 persons attended our Vocational Training for the Deaf, Physically Disabled, Low Vision persons.

• Individual care of blind children
  Supported by local resources and Stichting Liliane Founds (SLF)
  
  At two of CFBT’s regional service centers, Lampang and Korat, 297 children received individual care by the daily work of our staff. We provide dormitories, prepare the children for IE, and organize Integrated Education for them. We care for their health, and we also visit the families and schools of the children to give the parents, friends, neighbors and teachers some advice on how to care for their blind children.
  
  Founds for this continuous work come from the Dutch people, transferred kindly by SLF. Local donors, parents and friends and their share to make the work possible.

• Serving blind persons with additional handicaps
  For persons who are not only blind but also deaf or physically or mentally handicapped, integration is particularly hard, and caring for them requires much more effort than for blind children without additional handicaps. Our staff gives them daily special attention, intensive physical care, love and steady attention.

Lopburi center

Supported by local resources and Dark & Light Blind Care (DLBC)

The new service center to assist blind adults with additional handicaps started working in May 2001, and was officially opened on 30 January 2002, with HRH Princess Sirindhorn presiding. We have worked very hard towards the full implementation of the new CFBT center. The construction of this project was supported by the Thai government and by DLBC.

51 blind with additional handicaps lived and learned here in 2002 : O & M, vocational training courses etc. They learn dyeing clothes, weaving mats, growing plants and many other useful skills that will help them earn a living.

Roi-Et center

Co-operation with the Hilton / Perkins Program

At Roi-Et, 49 multiply handicapped (MH) blind children receive help and advice. 11 of them were supported by the Hilton-Perkins Program. At the outset, there were eleven children in this project. But on July 7, 2002, we sadly lost one child. Her name was Amphika Pholyiem. She died because of a heart failure. After that we had ten children under our care in this project in the later course of the year.

About half of these children can stay at our service center and attend our lessons, while we care for the other group by home rehabilitation. We regularly send our field teacher to advise these children’s parents at their homes about how to train their children. Our field workers also give advice at the children’s schools.

Bangkok center

Supported by local resources

Here, the CFBT staff devotedly cared for 44 blind children who have additionally handicaps in 2002. One child received our services while staying at home.

Other CFBT centers

At our Lampang center, 16 children, and at our Khon Kaen center, 10 children and blind with additional handicaps. Although these centers are not specialized on giving services to blind children with additional disabilities, our staff gives them all the special attention and love that they need.

• Giving training courses
  Co-operation with CBM International, Bangkok, and UNICEF
  
  Mr. Sriman Gurung and Mr. Kishore Chhetri, from the National Institute for the Disabled (NID) in Bhutan, completed a 3 months training course at the CFBT centers Khon Kaen and Korat from December 2001 to February 2002. They learned how to use technical equipment to produce learning materials for the blind and for persons with low vision. The course was organized by CBMI, Bangkok, with kind help of UNICEF.
  
  In November and December 2002 Mr. Dorji Tansend, an officer of Bhutan’s Ministry of Education, studied our methods and ways of working for the blind. He found the CFBT’s vision and mission, and in particular, the CFBT’s new ETCB, a useful model for Bhutan.

• Technical services
  Education Technology Center for the Blind (ETCB)
  Supported by local resources and CBM
  
  With this new department at CFBT, we have set up network to combine the efforts of the six CFBT service centers. The ETCB or “Tech Team” helps improve living conditions for the blind with the use of technology in many ways.
  
  Although the ETCB Department started only in 2002, we performed many tasks already in 2002. Among our accomplishments are the following :

1. Production :

• We produced Braille learning materials by computer (19,513 braille pages) and by thermoform machine (3,685 Braille pages), Talking books (874 cassettes), Braille versions of Office & education related materials (42,188 Braille pages), Large print materials for Low Vision use (14,620 pages), and we translated documents and reformatted original copies, with a total of 6,164 Braille pages

• We performed photocopy services for the offices : 36,847 pages

2. Further services were :

• maintenance and technology services :

  1. Maintenance and repair of Braille machines for organizations under the CFBT : more than 300 work units

  2. Installation of electronic devices and programs for organizations under the CFBT : more than 50 work units

  3. Seminars and training courses on maintenance and program installation : We organized, participated in and held 6 courses with international participation

  4. Coordinate on repairing machines and educational technology services : on 9 occasions throughout the year

  5. Repair and maintenance, program and equipment installation for organizations under the government and private sectors : 18 machines at one site and 5 further sites
     - foreign coordination on repair and maintenance, program and equipment installation : 12 machines at one site and 5 further sites

3. Other tasks included :
   Checking Braille printer spare parts for annual budget 2545 – Provide Brailler service – Provide Audio Room services – Provide services on electrical repair and maintenance in CFBT campus – Install computer for media production use in integrated schools – etc.

• Adaptive technology services (Department of Adaptive Technology) : for students and teachers alike

• Training for personnel development : 11 training courses

• We not only participated in training courses 12 times throughout 2002, but also provided 11 training courses and seminars

• We gave technical support on special occasions, e.g. at the Khon Kaen School for the Blind, like “Teacher’s Day”, “children’s Day”, “Mother’s Day”

• We participated in exhibitions, e.g. on November 23rd, 2002, an exhibition on the occasion of Disabled Day at Khon Kaen School for the Deaf, or on November 29th, 2002, and:

• We participated in the seminar at the Parliament Meeting Hall with the topic “Skill Development and Job Opportunity for Disabled People”

• Leadership training in Japan
  Co-operation with the Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities (JSRPD), Japan
  
  In co-operation with the Japanese Society for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities (JSRPD) in Tokyo, Japan, we sent two very talented blind Thai persons to The Third Duskin Leadership Training in 2002. This training sponsors future leaders of their countries with disabilities.
  
  One of them, Mr. Songkran Soisaklang made it to the training in August 2002. As he let us know he is doing well in Japan. Mr. Quanchai Kerddaen (photo right) finished his training in November 2002 and is back with a lot of good ideas
  

Beneficiaries

Direct services : The following blind and LV children / persons received direct services from the CFBT :

Indirect services

At two occasions, the CFBT gave technical assistance to the Schools for the Blind at Surat Thani (144 children are enrolled there) and at Chiang Mai (230 children learn there).

More indirect beneficiaries of the CFBT (by its political work, by giving courses to government officers and teachers, by maintaining and repairing technical equipment, by distributing the CFBTs Handbook on Intergrated Education and other activities) please see also narrative parts of this report.