Assisting people to lead full and independent lives is the role of community based rehab staff. They are trained to provide instruction in getting around safely, working in the home, accomplishing daily activities and learning braille skills. Counselling is provided to those with visual impairment and blindness and their families with issues relating to adjusting to sight loss. Staff are working within their communities Fiji-wide.
It is the only national institution which caters for blind and visually impaired children. It offers Academic Classes 1-8, Vocational Class and Pre-school and Multi-handicapped Class. Students are taught in the use of braille, mobility and orientation with the use of a sighted guide and/or symbol cane. The Vocational Class is designed to provide older children with non-academic skills which they can use in their adult life. Students who graduate from Class 8 are integrated and complete their education in mainstream schools. The Pre-school and Multi-handicapped Class, places emphasis on teaching social and physical skills.
The hostel situated within the Society’s precincts at Vatuwaqa, Suva, provides accommodation to Fiji’s and the region’s rural based visually impaired or blind children who attend the school or who are integrated into mainstream schools in Suva. The Society meets all costs of the hostel, including food, as most of the children are from socio-economically disadvantaged families.
People with visual impairment and blindness are taught in use of a sighted guide and symbol cane. Children are taken on excursions to be exposed to the community; shops, banks, supermarkets and city streets.
Braille material for students of all ages is produced by the transcription services at the headquarters. All external exam papers set by the Ministry of Education used by blind students attending mainstream schools are transcribed into braille. The student papers are then transcribed back to written form for marking. The service also brailles non-educational material for adults and makes tactile books for young children learning to read.
The society provides assistance to students integrated into mainstream schools from pre-school to tertiary level. These students are provided with equipment such as braillers and styluses and the staff constantly monitors their progress, giving special tuition, visiting and liaising with the relevant schools.
The Fiji Society for the Blind was established in the year 1970 by public support led by the Suva Rotary Club, just after Fiji gained its independence.