Seven years ago as Kuenga Chogyal, a resource person for the physically handicapped flew back to Bhutan after attending a course in Bangkok, he harbored a dream.

Now the dream has come true.

He wanted to provide ICT knowledge to the visually impaired around the country, and since last year he has been fulfilling his dream, even continuing to this year.

Ten participants are undergoing an ICT workshop at Gelephu adding to last year’s ten.

The first round of the project was held at NID in Khaling for one month and it catered to employees in the central and eastern regions. This year’s workshop targets the western and southern regions and started from January 4. It will end on February 1.

The participants come from a wide range of professions including teachers, program officers, from the MoH and trade and industries.

There are some old-timers from the NID, as far back as 26 years ago, according to the Principal, Tshongpen Wangdi.

From the total of ten, two are female.

The classes are being held at Gelephu Higher Secondary School by 13 instructors some of whom were trained in Norway, from the MoE, and others from the NID itself.

“The ICT course focuses on basic skills and internet browsing. We are using the software JAWS (Job Accessible Web Speech) for the same,” said Tshongpen Wangdi.

He added that the response of the participants was one of enthusiasm.

Kuenga Chogyal, the brain-child behind the ICT project for the visually challenged said that if IT skills make life easier for even the “normal” people, how much more would it then for this forgotten section of the society.

“The second workshop is even better with participants scoring higher in all aspects,” he said.

One more thing he is really happy about is that the 20 participants since last year have each been provided a lap-top. Since the project is for three years, the next batch of 10 students will also receive laptops.

The participants are no less elated.

Duptho Zangmo, a Sherubtse alumni and a popular singer, now working in the Home Ministry, said that the course will teach her professional and technical skills.

“It will help me to be well-equipped in my profession,” she said.

Amrit B. Subba, a gold medalist from P.S. College of Arts and Sciences in Tamil Nadu, who is now an assistant counselor at the Department of Youth and Sports said that before he did not have formal ICT training but now he has gained new insight on the use of software programs like Microsoft Excel and Power Point.

Pema Dorji, a teacher for the last 11 years at Lango Middle Secondary School in Paro feels that knowledge on internet browsing has been of great help.

There is courage here.

And faith and hope.

In a world where so-called disabled people are not exactly considered the cream of the crop, such inspiring examples of both physically challenged people who are fighting odds to carve a niche for themselves in society and “able” people who are willing to lend them a helping hand is an example of heroism.

Tshongpen Wangdi said that the participants did face difficulties during the training because some had never touched a computer before but with “maximum support” from the instructors and hand-outs in braille they were coping up.

As for the instructors, he said, some are aged, so they may be facing problems with regard to stamina and teaching the participants which is no easy task even for young blood.

Despite facing hurdles, the participants are doing very well for themselves as echoed in Amrit B Subba’s words of advice to the youth whom he counsels: “Every youth should value his life. Whatever the situation there is always hope. Always be optimistic.”

He adds that the secret of his outstanding success is “hard work and determination.”