Srinagar, March 1, 2025: The Voluntary Medicare Society (VMS) successfully wrapped up its two-day Career Awareness Workshop for visually impaired individuals on February 28 and March 1, 2025. The workshop, held under the #SeeAMillion campaign, aimed to empower participants by providing them with the tools, knowledge, and skills needed to explore career opportunities, benefit from government schemes, and work towards financial independence.
Day 1: February 28, 2025
The first day of the workshop began with a Tilawat-e-Quran by Mohammed Shafi, a student of VMS, setting a peaceful tone for the event. Following this, Ashaq A. Lone, Project Coordinator at Parivartan Centre, introduced the VMS and outlined the objectives of the workshop.
Session Highlights:
1. Introduction to VMS and the Workshop: Ashaq A. Lone provided an overview of VMS’s collaboration with Enable India and discussed the goals of the two-day workshop, aimed at building career awareness among visually impaired individuals.
2. Career Possibilities for Visually Impaired Individuals: Mohammad Haneef Malik and Iqrah Walli led an insightful session exploring various career paths, highlighting opportunities in fields accessible to visually impaired persons.
3. Government Schemes for Visually Impaired Persons: In the afternoon session, Mr. Vinod from CRC Srinagar provided valuable information about government schemes and benefits tailored for visually impaired individuals, ensuring that participants were aware of the support available to them.
4. Communication Skills: The final session of the day, conducted by Ashaq A. Lone, focused on developing communication skills, which are crucial for career advancement and building independence.
The day concluded with an engaging Q&A session, allowing participants to clarify doubts and engage in meaningful discussions.
Day 2: March 1, 2025
The second day of the workshop began with a review of the previous day’s sessions, followed by an introduction to various assistive devices at the VMS Digital Literacy Lab, offering participants a glimpse into the tools that could enhance their daily lives and work.
Session Highlights:
1. Inspiring Role Models:
Shazia & Shahid: Shared their personal journeys and experiences of securing jobs at the Job Fair in Jammu, motivating participants to pursue employment opportunities.
Naima & Tahir: Both visually impaired individuals who successfully completed their master’s degrees at Kashmir University, shared their inspiring stories of academic and personal achievement.
2. Financial Independence through Small Business Ideas: Mr. Asrar, Director of Durrein Tea Limited, conducted a session promoting entrepreneurship and self-employment, inspiring participants to explore business opportunities and gain financial independence.
3. Overcoming Challenges to Secure Government Employment: Mr. Hejaz Ahmad, an employee at SKIMS Soura Srinagar, shared his personal experiences of overcoming obstacles in his journey to securing a government job, offering valuable advice on how to navigate the challenges of government employment.
The day ended with participants providing feedback on the workshop, sharing their thoughts on how to improve future sessions and expressing gratitude for the opportunity to learn and grow.
Closing Ceremony
The workshop concluded with a certificate distribution ceremony, recognizing participants who completed the Fundamentals of Computer Training for Persons with Impairments. Certificates were awarded by distinguished guests, including Prof. (Dr.) Mir Mohammad Maqbool, President/Founder of VMS, Er. Mushtaq A. Malik, Secretary of VMS, and Prof. Mushtaq Ahmad Margoob, Executive Member of VMS.
Additionally, a token of appreciation was presented to Jehangir Ahmed in recognition of his achievements as a Lasso Athlete.
The workshop, part of the #SeeAMillion campaign, emphasized the importance of career guidance, skill development, and financial independence for visually impaired individuals. By equipping participants with essential knowledge and real-world success stories, the event inspired them to pursue their goals with confidence and determination (Press Release).
