Milton CharitableFoundation for The Visually Handicapped

Milton Charitable Foundation for The Visually Handicapped is a registered state cadre voluntary, non-profit and service providing organization working for the welfare

of the poor and down trodden, visually handicapped people and craftsmen of Odisha. The office is located at Berhampur of Ganjam district Odisha, South India.

This foundation was established on 21st March 2004, by conglomeration of highly ambitious visually handicapped elite group who have believed the notion

of “sensing is believing” and committed for the upliftment of their fellow brothers and sisters who are needy but meritorious.

This foundation got its legal sanctity on 18th September 2008 incorporated by the Registrar of Society under “Societies Registration Act 21/1860” bearing

no. 22905/115. This year on march 2012 the organization got registered under US 80G , US 12A of income tax act 1961 and FCRA 2010 .

Since its inception, due to the non-availability of Braille materials for the students from eighth class onwards, this foundation is providing digital recorded study materials in Mp3, CD format and audio cassettes to the blind students through its Digital Talking Book project. Till today near about 200 blind students from various schools and colleges of Odisha have been covered under this project to enabled them of accessing all types of study materials easily for their higher study.

The foundation installed a resource centre in 2007 for the visually impaired and distributes all necessary government forms, circulars and scholarship forms to the needy people And due to the inadequate job-oriented training facilities for the educated blind persons of Orissa, this organization is also sponsoring blind students of other states to attain the training for their financial independence.

Also it has a Braille library with a large collection of precious books from various national and international libraries for the benefit of the blind students.

The foundation has been providing scholarship annually to the meritorious visually handicapped students by the help and contribution of the fellow brothers and philanthropist. Under this scheme 32 poor and meritorious students from different districts of the state have been benefited .

The organization has also a blind cricket team and musical group and organizing sports and cultural programmes from in various places of Odisha in different times for the socio-economic rehabilitation and public awareness exclusively for the blind, of the blind and by the blind.

The foundation is determined to impart computer education to the blind persons through speech software which is called JAWS (Job Assess with Speech) by the kind assistance and support of the District Red-Cross Society. Also training of type writing and the Braille script training for the blind is imparted by the organization. Since 2010 it has been providing 1 year computer training programme to the visually impaired youth of Odisha. Till today 80 blind youth beneficiaries have completed computer education through this project.

This foundation

Conducts 2 months summer programme each year from 1^st may to 30^th june to enhance the living skills of both blind boys and girls who have completed their schooling. This programme is run by mobilizing fund resource from its own locality and covers 30 visually impaired college students from every corner

of the state with free accommodation of lodging and boarding facility since 2010. Such type of training programme was never planned by any voluntary organization or state

government before. During this programme it imparts basic computer application, Communication skill , personality development, Job orientation skill and mobility and other living skills. It also provides placement to the visually impaired with other disabled persons by collaborating with various organizations and agencies.

This year the organization has started the special education programme to implement the quality education and develop human resource for the teaching of blind children in Odisha and India as well.

Mission:

This organization is basically emphasizing on the all-round development of the visually impaired community by undertaking various projects on the field of education, vocational and academic training, rehabilitation through employment and self-employment, aid and advocacy, public awareness and empowerment.