Building Awareness in Rural Punjab

EconReads has been proud to work with the principal of SMT Santosh Dular Sarvhitkari Vidya Mandir, a school in rural Punjab, to raise awareness about accessibility and how communities can better support people who are blind and visually impaired.

Through our partnership with the school, we delivered a series of awareness lectures for students and members of the school community, focusing on the everyday barriers faced by visually impaired individuals and practical ways that young people can become more supportive and inclusive members of their communities.

These sessions were designed not simply to raise awareness, but to encourage students to think about accessibility in their own surroundings. We discussed how seemingly small changes in attitudes, communication, and community support can make a meaningful difference to the independence and inclusion of people with visual impairments.

The success of these sessions led to a long-term partnership between EconReads and the school. This has become an important part of our wider outreach efforts, helping us organise additional campaigns and workshops and connect with other schools in the region.

For EconReads, partnerships like this demonstrate the importance of taking accessibility conversations beyond individual classrooms. By working with schools and empowering students to become advocates within their own communities, we can help create a broader culture of inclusion.

We are grateful to the principal, teachers, and students of SMT Santosh Dular Sarvhitkari Vidya Mandir for their enthusiasm and continued support. We look forward to building on this partnership and reaching even more communities across Punjab.