Manoranjan’s story

“Without the support and guidance of the Sightsavers India team, it would not have been possible.” – Manoranjan, Jharkhand. 

Meet Manoranjan, a spirited 16-year-old residing in Deoghar, Jharkhand. From birth, he faced the challenge of visual impairment. Initially, his parents enrolled him in a residential school, but he struggled to adapt and returned home, leading to a prolonged period of seclusion. Later, he joined a regular school in his village but encountered numerous hurdles. Teachers were unsure how to accommodate his needs, and the lack of accessible materials posed a significant obstacle.

The Sightsavers India team stepped in, recognising Manoranjan as a school dropout who had yet to appear for the 10th board exams. Sightsavers India’s members worked closely with him, introducing concept formation, braille literacy, orientation, and skills training. With their support, he was readmitted to school and equipped with a laptop containing class-appropriate content in accessible formats. Manoranjan’s learning journey began, filled with hard work and newfound joy.

The Inclusive Education (IE) team identified a neighbour, Sonu, as a Social Animator to further enhance his progress. Trained by Sightsavers India, Sonu provided personalised support to Manoranjan. The team, alongside the social animator, guided him diligently in preparing for the 10th board exams. Additionally, the IE team trained his schoolteachers to extend the necessary assistance while sensitising his parents and instilling confidence in their son’s abilities as a talented learner. With undivided attention and unwavering support, Manoranjan’s family actively participated in his preparation, with Sightsavers India’s assistance extending to application filling and other necessary tasks.

Manoranjan took his 10th board exams conducted by the Jharkhand Academic Council. He achieved an outstanding 88%, becoming the top scorer in his school. This achievement instilled a newfound confidence in him. Now, he aspires to continue his education and dreams of becoming a teacher.