International Agency for International Agency for Prevention of BlindnessPrevention of Blindness

99thth General Assembly General Assembly

Steven Rothstein, PresidentDr. Aubrey Webson, Director,

Perkins InternationalSeptember 18, 2012

How many How many children are children are not in school not in school today today because they because they are blind, are blind, visually visually impaired or impaired or deafblind?deafblind?

There are 6 There are 6 million children million children around the world around the world who are blind, who are blind, deafblind, or deafblind, or visually impaired visually impaired with multiple with multiple disabilities.disabilities.

4.5 million of them do not receive an education.

Perkins’ BackgroundFounded 1829: First U.S. school for the blind.

Providing education for 183 years

• Helen Keller and her teacher, Anne Sullivan attended.

• Today, Perkins impacts over 600,000 individuals around the world through a range of services for infants, school-aged children and young adults, and their families and professionals.

• 67 countries, more than 300+ local implementing partners

Focus: Education, Advocacy, Information & Technology & Leadership Development,

Braille literacy

Approach: work w/ local partners through small grants (training, technical assistance, leadership development)

Perkins International

• Global program: Advance education of children with disabilities who are visually impaired with additional disabilities.

• Empower families, educators, communities and governments

Capacity BuildingCapacity BuildingPerkins partners with 300 schools to:

● Improve teachers’ skills● Provide direct services● Promote Braille literacy● Build coalitions with

parents, policy makers and universities

Perkins’ PartnershipsPerkins’ Partnerships

Schools and Schools and TeachersTeachers

50,000 children, families and

teachers benefited from Perkins’ international

effortsProducing digital &

print materials

Perkins’ PartnershipsPerkins’ Partnerships

ParentsParents

Parents are often the strongest advocates for the rights of their children.

Perkins’ PartnershipsPerkins’ Partnerships

GovernmentsGovernmentsUniversities

26 university programs in 20+ countriesThis year, Perkins supported 550 participants in university programs addressing education of children who are blind, or visually impaired with multiple disabilities.

Perkins’ PartnershipsPerkins’ Partnerships

Local OrganizationsLocal Organizations

Perkins’ PublicationsPerkins’ Publications

• Nothing For Us, Without Us

• Capacity building of local organizations

From Isolation to CommunityDominican Republic

Dominican Republic example

From 10 students to over 400 across the country, including those with multiple disabilities

From Isolation to CommunityFrom Isolation to Community

All we see is Possibility…

www.perkins.org