Following the AccessAbility and Design for Dignity showcase after the Paralympics, BrailleBox has now journeyed to Mumbai, India.
As stated in the India Times, 22 Swedish designs, including the
Index BrailleBox, in which are designed to improve the quality of life for differently abled are on display at the Welingkar Institute in Mumbai until October 1st.
Empowering people living with disabilities continues to be a struggle in most societies, especially in India where no national data is available as of yet. No school or college is barrier-free, nor are most public places. In contrast, Sweden boasts a robust disability policy enabling the differently-abled.
The question most often associated in the Scandinavian capital is not "what is possible?" but "what isn't?". Not simply by providing more wheelchair ramps, but actually
serving all types of disabilities.
In a city of 9.5 million people with 15 percent living with impairments, "service and care for people with disabilities" is a priority. In India, where the highest population of visually impaired and blind people live on the planet; servicing this disability has yet to be prioritized for example. Hopefully this traveling Design forum can introduce ideas and products, worldwide, on how to incorporate these things and better serve ALL persons living in a community, including those with a disability.
TIP: Earlier written blog post
The Importance of Braille is a good introduction to understanding the importance of literacy for both sighted and visually impaired individuals and therefore the importance of Braille.