Ebsar to build factory for the blind, appeals for assistance

A local charity has appealed to the government, businessmen and the public to help build a SR 350 million factory that will train and employ people with visual disabilities.
Ahmed Mohammed Ali, president of the board of directors of the Ebsar Charitable Society for the Visually Impaired, announced that the organization has already worked out a budget for the factory.
He was speaking at the organization’s general meeting recently, where he also urged the business community and the public to help Ebsar meet its financial shortfall of SR 1.2 million from last year. The society also needs to cover costs of about SR 373,000 incurred this year.
He said the charity is facing financial difficulties like many other charities in the country. Many of the organization’s activities had to be stopped temporarily because of the organization’s financial problems.
The general meeting was held under the auspices of Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz, president of the Arab Gulf Program for Human Development (AGFUND) and honorary president of the society.
Ali said Ebsar is still determined to build the factory in Jeddah, 50 percent of which will be managed and operated by people with visual disabilities. He said a local consulting firm has already undertaken an economic feasibility study. The results will be released soon.
The budget was approved unanimously during the charity’s general meeting. The supervision, implementation and operation of the factory have been allocated to Noor Company, a local trading firm. Noor will supply and finance the plant with all medical equipment.
Prince Talal, in his speech, highlighted the need for more action to help people with visual disabilities.
He said the Kingdom is playing an active role in combating blindness to meet the requirements of the global initiative “Vision 2020: The Right to Sight.”
He also appealed to the business community to help build the factory.
“To solve the problem of limited financial resources, the idea to set up the factory managed and operated by the blind was presented. It will help develop human resources through the establishment of an academy for training; and by employing 1,200 visually handicapped individuals, who will gradually start working in the factory.”
“This is a pilot project for sustainable development in our country to help fight unemployment, and requires support of government and private sector,” he added.
He said the Supreme Council for Disability has already begun contributing to the Kingdom’s vision to resolve issues facing people with disabilities.
Meanwhile, Ali said that 26,000 Braille Qur’ans are needed for the country’s visually disabled people. The organization is also working to achieve this target with the Printing Press of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and aims to supply local and foreign parties that need such Qur’ans.