Looking for experienced people as trustees

Samrita Trust has been working for education for visually challenged in K-12, Intermediate, Degree and PG levels and also employability of VC students. I have been a trustee for the past few years. The President AVM (Retd) Nori Sastry is very passionate and almost works 24X7 on various aspects along with Annaji Sarma who heads the Braille projects and looks at computer technology. Mrs Lalitha heads the audio book efforts. We are looking for a couple of trustees who can spend a few hours regularly so that the VC candidates reap the benefits of the initiatives. Apart from new ideas we are looking for people to strengthen some of our existing projects- for example: 1. We have prepared audio CDs and also downloadable mp3 files for all +2 upwards books in Telugu, BEd, competetive exam material (English/Telugu)etc. These are already popular for several years and we do get feedback from successful students. However a lot more can be done. 2. NIVH and Samrita have produced Braille books in Telugu for classes 1-10 - more efforts required to get schools place orders and make effective use of these books and give feedback. 3. We have designed and produced a unique first book for children to learn Braille along with a Universal Braille Kit that comes from Vidya Vriksha. This needs to be taken to the children so that they benefit from item 2 above. 4. We have been successful in changing the policy of the government of AP to make MP3 players issued to the students in colleges (in place of cassette players). We have now made them supply laptops to professional and PG students. However, awareness of this, distribution channel and usage feedback needs to be strengthened. 5. If these students can learn use of computers, a new world can literally open to them. Screen reading and other tools are available. Computer Training needs to be carried out at some colleges.

In almost all these projects we try to awaken the govt machinery so that these measures become systemic rather than specific to the Trust. Interested may please contact me or the trust on www.samritatrust.org Uma Garimella www.theprofessor.in 97011 41118 umavalluri@gmail.com