Respondent: Interviewer: Respondent: Interviewer: Respondent: voices?

Interviewer: Respondent: Interviewer: Respondent:

You want to only chat, yeah? All right. What's that? You want only to record the director? Yeah. I guess whatever, so I remember stuff too and I might write about it. Okay, okay. Only you want voices, yeah? Not picture? No picture, yeah? Only

Yeah. No, I do pictures too, yeah, if you want, but that's okay. Okay, okay. Yeah. Just kind of recording what goes on and I don't know Okay. [Foreign language 00:00:30] Interviewer: She's translating? Respondent: Yeah, she's translating. She's [inaudible 00:00:41]. [Foreign language 00:00:42] Respondent: Now, you told her that you came from Flight4Sight. Interviewer: Yeah, so it's a campaign. Respondent: Would you please brief us a little bit Interviewer: Yeah. Respondent: if it's an organization, where it's what it's doing now, where it's doing its work, something like that. Please can you give us Interviewer: Yeah, yeah. This is just kind of my thing. I personally decided, like I'm losing my sight I'm losing my sight. Right now it's pigmentosa usher syndrome and so I was kind yeah, so I'm kind of going public about it. Then yeah, I'm going around the world sort of to see the sites before I can't see them any more. Respondent: Okay. Interviewer: I'm bringing awareness to that, like that lifestyle. Using social media in a fun way like that you can choose where I go, gaging people so as and I take pictures and stuff. I took a fun picture the other day in Abu Dhabi; me with the king [cane]. I'm kind of introducing people to this cane that I'm going to be using all the time and I just started using it last year. [Foreign language 00:01:58] Interviewer: Oh, sorry. Should I just slow down or? Respondent: Yeah, yeah. She has to constantly Interviewer: Yeah. [Foreign language 00:02:03] Respondent: So you have not come in here on behalf of any organization? Just Interviewer: Really no. It's just my own little campaign but I kind of see it trailing into something so like to help people that are losing their sight to go places. I'm like the first one; I'm the guinea pig. Are you familiar with Make A Wish Foundation? Respondent: Which foundation? Interviewer: Make A Wish Foundation? Respondent: Make A Wish Foundation? Interviewer: Yeah. Are you familiar with that or? Respondent: No. [Foreign language 00:02:51]

Interviewer: It's kind of it's for dying people that they have their final wish of something to do. It's usually for kids and stuff. I don't know, it's something that's kind of in the back of my mind right now. [Foreign language 00:03:03] Interviewer: Yeah, that I'll go and find people that are losing their sight and will help them go somewhere, fly somewhere and see something beautiful before they lose their sights in different conditions. Like my condition right now is pigmentosa. Respondent: Yeah, it's progressive, yeah? Loss of your sight is progressive, yeah? Interviewer: Progressive, yeah. Degenerating [inaudible 00:03:29]. It's kind of like that's in the back of my mind. It's something that I can do with it; raise money and do all sorts of stuff or someone can just take it on. Yeah, right now it's just right now it's just me going around the world and seeing the sights and also meeting people in organizations like this and learning also trying to learn much as I can myself to I kind of went it very passive like having the condition because I've had it all my life. I have usher syndromes of the hearing problem too. Respondent: Yeah, I see. [Foreign language 00:04:06] Respondent: Yeah. Okay, I think she has some question for you. Interviewer: Okay. Respondent: Okay. Possible? Interviewer: Yeah. Shoot. [Foreign language 00:04:43] Speaker 1: She want to ask you where do you find [crosstalk 00:05:58]. Where do you find our addresses she ask you? Interviewer: Where do I find ? Speaker 1: Your address our addresses. Interviewer: Where do I find you guys? Respondent: Yeah, address, address. Interviewer: Oh. Respondent: Like telephone address, email address. Interviewer: Oh, my information? Yeah, I have my Facebook page, I can send give that to you, whatever you want, yeah. Respondent: No, no. She's asking you where did you get our addresses; email address, telephone address. Interviewer: Oh. My friend works for USAID. Respondent: USAID? Interviewer: USAID, yes. Respondent: Okay. [Foreign language 00:06:33] Interviewer: Works at the U.S Embassy, the USAID. Respondent: U.S Embassy? Interviewer: U.S Embassy, yeah. [Foreign language 00:06:40] Interviewer: The U.S Embassy gave you guys a donation, right? Is that correct? Respondent: No.

Interviewer: Or someone else. Respondent: No, but we have request [inaudible 00:06:51]. Interviewer: Yeah, yeah. U.S Embassy, that's all. [Foreign language 00:06:55] Speaker 1: She say, I am asking you where do you found our addresses because to be transparent and our organization is working on awareness raising also and we are trying to identify some deaf, blind people in Ethiopia around; all over Ethiopia. Do you hear me? Interviewer: Their organization you guys are trying to be more transparent? Speaker 1: Yeah. She ask you where do you found our addresses Interviewer: Information, yeah. Speaker 1: because I should be informed where do you found where do our contacted with your person, contacted with others, so it should it could be more transparent for us and for you also and about the organization. She is saying that it's working on awareness raising and it's also a member of [inaudible 00:09:25] Federation of the Deafblind. Do you hear me? I'm sorry. Interviewer: Yeah. No, it's all right. Respondent: No, what she's saying, correction too. Yeah, what she's saying that in [inaudible 00:09:40] our organization is called the Ethiopian National Association of the Deafblind. It's engaged in awareness raising among the Ethiopian community, it's engaged in identifying deaf, blind people and then [recollect 00:09:59] them to our organization. Then it's also giving some capacity building trainings for deaf, blind people themselves and their families and also awareness among many various professionals such as [inaudible 00:10:22] professionals, people who are in touch with the grassroots such as community based rehabilitation workers, health extension workers, teachers of the special need schools and so on and so on. What she's saying is our organization [inaudible 00:10:45] is Interviewer: She's happy to know that the U.S Embassy was able to is that Respondent: Huh? Interviewer: You're happy to know that U.S Embassy was able to recognize you? Respondent: Of course, [inaudible 00:10:54] the assistance of the method sales mission has visited our organization. His excellency assistant mission, assistant ambassador, she was here. Interviewer: Yeah. It's good to be here. Respondent: Yeah. Of course no delegation yet. Maybe you can be a link to us also. Interviewer: Yeah. Respondent: Yeah? Maybe. Who knows. Interviewer: I'll get your banking information and we'll go from there. Respondent: Yeah, [inaudible 00:11:21], yeah. Interviewer: I don't even have I couldn't even get money yet. I'm like yeah, so money is a choice that's weird like I'm trying to get myself. My friends are paying for me and like okay. Respondent: Yeah. That's why she wants that. Interviewer: Great. Yeah, definitely I'll make a donation, yeah. I'll get your information and I'll do that [inaudible 00:11:40]. Respondent: Okay. Interviewer: Personally. You have individuals here. You talk about teachers; you train teachers or you make them more aware or?

Respondent: No. You see what we are doing here Interviewer: It's just Respondent: [Inaudible 00:12:00]. One is awareness. Interviewer: Awareness, yeah. Respondent: Because people do not much about deaf, blindness, and problems, work concerns that the blind people the public do not know. Even in the Interviewer: What are the things that you educate. Respondent: Yeah, and we have to [inaudible 00:12:19] I think. That's one front. That's one task of [inaudible 00:12:25]. Another one is we have to empower those deaf, blind people. We have to empower them by training them various skills on various capacity building trends. That's one trend or one task of [inaudible 00:12:44]. Another one is we are training deaf, blind children these life skills. We have some here now. This office is also comprises an educational center for the deaf, blind children whereby they learn life skills; pre-education skills. Interviewer: Great. Respondent: That's what we are doing now but this organization, they don't have any resource of their own. They're to seek hundreds from abroad and local. Our work is directly related to the fact that we're getting. If we get more fund, we can expand our work, we can do more. If not, constraint on hand, of course we only do less work; very little things. Interviewer: Right, yeah. Respondent: Currently we're of course in a critical situation. We're short of funds, so we're seeking individuals, organizations who can support us. Interviewer: The government? Does the government play a role in supporting you? Respondent: Yeah, yeah. Government is playing a role. [Inaudible 00:14:10] our organizations we are all [inaudible 00:14:13] the government. Yeah, we have already our own license and also the government is giving a very small fund; very small of course because the government has many priority. As you know, Ethiopia is a developing country. Interviewer: Yeah, yeah. Respondent: Yeah, so government cannot spare big money for us. Interviewer: How long has this been organizing Respondent: Organization? Interviewer: This organization, yeah. [Foreign language 00:14:42] Respondent: Eight years since the establishment of Interviewer: Eight years? Respondent: Yeah, [inaudible 00:14:57]. That is it. That's all. [Foreign language 00:15:01] Respondent: Anything that you want to know? Interviewer: What is that? Respondent: What? Interviewer: What is that? Respondent: This is for the children; for the deaf, blind children. Yeah, they just want they will save this by third time. They cannot see of course, so they can feel [inaudible 00:15:23], see? Yeah, they feel and they see maybe a little bit. Interviewer: All right.

[Foreign language 00:15:30] Interviewer: How big is braille. I don't know much anything about braille. Respondent: Yeah, this is braille. You would call it braille machine. Interviewer: Braille machine. Respondent: Of course it is the [Foreign language 00:15:47] Respondent: You read braille? Interviewer: I don't know. No, I do not. Respondent: Want to learn a bit? Interviewer: No. I don't have [inaudible 00:15:59]. [Foreign language 00:16:00] Respondent: You have to learn it, yeah. Interviewer: Yeah. It's so weird like my condition is rare that I go 100% blind but I don't know. It just as you know it progresses. Respondent: Yeah, yeah. Interviewer: I'm pretty good compared elder brother has the same condition. It's genetic. Respondent: Your brother has the same condition? Interviewer: Yeah, it's a genetic condition. Respondent: Okay. Interviewer: Yes, it's genetic. [Foreign language 00:16:27] Interviewer: Usher syndrome is the name of the condition. It's genetic. Respondent: We have also you know we have one family here who has got many children from one family [foreign language 00:16:43], five of them, five of them in one family. One girl is dead, another one is deaf, blind and another one is also deaf, blind. So many people like that in one family. Interviewer: Genetics. Respondent: Yeah. Interviewer: A genetic vision. Respondent: Yeah. Interviewer: Two parents with the gene. Respondent: Yeah. Interviewer: They it's rare that they come together but when they do Respondent: Yeah. Interviewer: My condition is one in four and so one in four of the kids that the parents have the gene, and we have four kids and two of us got it. [Foreign language 00:17:16] Respondent: When is start this illness with you? When? When does it started? Interviewer: The eye condition? Respondent: Yeah. [Foreign language 00:17:40] Interviewer: I guess I stopped being able to drive a year and a half ago. [Foreign language 00:17:49] Interviewer: Before that I couldn't drive at night for a while and then

Respondent: Okay. Interviewer: It really started three or four years ago it started to get [Foreign language 00:17:57] Respondent: How about the hearing problem. Interviewer: Hearing I was born with, so it's actually stable. Respondent: Okay. Interviewer: I have hearing aids obviously. Respondent: Oh, you have hearing aids, yeah? Okay. Interviewer: Yeah. They're really tiny but one's kind of busted so it was like that's what I need. Respondent: You cannot hear without it, uh? Without it you cannot hear? Interviewer: Yeah, I cannot hear too well. I can hear low pitch sounds pretty well but high pitch sounds I can't hear at all. Respondent: Okay. [Foreign language 00:18:27] Respondent: Anything you can ask us please. Interviewer: Yeah. Respondent: What do you want to know? Interviewer: I guess like what would happen if you had more funds. Everything would just expand, more staff or you'd be able to affect more people; simple solutions? Respondent: Yeah. [Foreign language 00:18:57] Speaker 1: Before the establishment of the association, there is no one who is working, concerned on deaf, blindness. Respondent: In Ethiopia. Speaker 1: In Ethiopia. Respondent: Can you hear her? Interviewer: Uh Respondent: You heard, okay. Interviewer: Yeah, Ethiopia. [Foreign language 00:20:01] Speaker 1: When the association is started, established, we work on identifying deaf, blind person and we are trying to integrate them with the society. Our aim was that. Did you hear me? Okay. [Foreign language 00:20:59] Speaker 1: When we start to work, we are [Foreign language 00:21:21] Speaker 1: We got a certification from the government and we established board members who are deaf, blind [inaudible 00:21:31] and we have also [Foreign language 00:21:34] Respondent: General assembly. Speaker 1: General assembly who are deaf, blind themselves also. [Foreign language 00:21:45]

Speaker 1: When we start the work, we are starting with volunteers in the board members only. When we start the activity of the association, we only use Respondent: Volunteers. Speaker 1: volunteers only. We use volunteers only. Interviewer: Volun- what is that? Respondent: Volunteers. Volunteers. Speaker 1: Volunteers. Respondent: Not paid. Not paid employees but volunteers. Interviewer: Volunteers? Respondent: Volunteers, yeah, yeah. Interviewer: Volunteers. Respondent: You got it. Interviewer: Volunteers. Volunteers. Respondent: Yeah. Interviewer: Okay, volunteers, all right. Respondent: Yeah, yeah. Interviewer: Yeah, yeah. That's how a lot of organizations start off. Respondent: Yes, that is it. Interviewer: People are passionate. Respondent: Yeah. Interviewer: If I've heard correctly, there's people in government that have issues that are government officials that have deaf, blind issues? Is that what she said or did that make sense? Respondent: No, no. There are people with disability everywhere; in parliament, [inaudible 00:23:05] parliament. There are people Interviewer: They're affected by it. Respondent: Yeah, there are deaf, blind there are blind peoples everywhere; everywhere. Interviewer: Is cataracts a certain issue here in Ethiopia? Respondent: Cataracts? Interviewer: Cataracts is how Respondent: No, cataracts only for blindness. Only for blindness, not for deaf, blindness. Interviewer: Yeah. Okay. Respondent: Not occurs for deaf, blindness. Only for blindness, yes. Interviewer: Cataracts is [inaudible 00:23:32]. Respondent: Yes, maybe, yeah, it could be. It could be. [Foreign language 00:23:34] Respondent: Do you want to see the children? No? Can we see? No? Interviewer: Yeah, it would be great. Respondent: Yeah? Interviewer: Yeah. Respondent: Now they're on the [Foreign language 00:23:48] Interviewer: What are some of the issues that parents have that you guys are helping with them? Parents come here with their children who Respondent: Yes, yes.

Interviewer: and how do you help the parents cope or you know what I'm saying? Respondent: Yeah. [Foreign language 00:24:12] Respondent: Come, I show you. [Foreign language 00:24:35] Respondent: What she's saying here, one of our activities is giving services to deaf, blind children. We have deaf, blind children here. This office premises is used for blood purposes. One as [inaudible 00:25:54] for the [inaudible 00:25:55] organization. Number two as a center for the deaf, blind children. We're teaching them life skills; pre-education skills like toileting, like clothing, like feeding by themselves, like movement, orientation, interaction, like that. Interviewer: Yeah, that's great, and you've got to keep it simple because that way you can sell yourself; what you're doing. Respondent: Yeah. [Foreign language 00:26:24] Interviewer: Is that a good place? [Foreign language 00:26:31] Respondent: What she's telling you, the organization has got many tasks empowering the deaf, blind people, empowering parents and families of the deaf, blind people. As she has already mentioned you, educating skills, life skills for the deaf, blind children. Awareness, a very great problem here in our country. People the stigma which is prevailing especially in rural areas that the deaf, blind people is of no use but of course if an appropriate intervention is there, they can use their potentials. This organization is doing so many things but all dependent upon the resources. Interviewer: Resources, yeah. Respondent: Yeah, this is what is very crucial. Interviewer: I hear you. Respondent: Okay. [Foreign language 00:28:12] Respondent: What she's telling you now, especially at this critical time we have a very great problem in shortage of fund, shortage of fund. She's telling you now you can see the children, right? Interviewer: All right, let's [Foreign language 00:28:36]

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Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:00:01 - 00:00:02]? Female: Mm, mm. Speaker 1: Yes? Speaker3: Are there different activities that work better? I see little puzzle stuff over there. Speaker 1: No. Female: [Amharic language 00:00:17] Speaker 1: Well, they have so many toys and Female: [Amharic language 00:00:21-00:00:19]. Hmm? Speaker 1: they have toys. They have everything to play with. They can go outside even Female: [Amharic language 00:00:25 - 00:00:26]? Speaker 1: they will experience different things you see, outside. Speaker 3: [Is he 00:00:32][ a dog on there 00:00:31]? Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah. No, not that [inaudible 00:00:34]. Speaker 3: Is that [how we leaving 00:00:35]? Speaker 1: Yes, yes. Speaker 3: Cool. Female: [Amharic language 00:00:39 - 00:00:41]? Female: [Amharic language 00:00:42]. Female: [Amharic language 00:00:44] Speaker 1: [Amharic 00:00:45 - 00:00:45]. Female: [Amharic language 00:00:45] Eh? Female: [Amharic language 00:00:49]. Female: Eh? Female: [Amharic language 00:00:50 - 00:00:51]. Female: [Amharic language 00:00:51 - 00:00:53]? Female: [Amharic language 00:00:53 - 00:00:54]. Female: [Amharic language 00:00:56]. Speaker 3: Is it okay if I take a picture of the room? Or whats your policy on pictures? Speaker 1: [Inaudible 00:01:02]. Usually we dont because you know, we have to have permission for the time. Speaker 3: Thats okay, I got enough of [the picture 00:01:09]. Thats all right. Speaker 1: Or else you can Speaker 3: Is it very interesting? Speaker 1: Yeah. Speaker 3: Its all [inaudible 00:01:28]? Speaker 1: Yeah, we [inaudible 00:01:30]. Female: [We give yeah 00:01:30]. Speaker 1: Yeah, you can come up [with it 00:01:33]. Speaker 3: [Inaudible 00:01:38 - 00:01:39]? Speaker 1: [Theres a little problem here 00:01:43]. [Truthfully 00:01:51] guide them. Speaker 3: This is car you do it every day you go Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3: there? You take it [normally 00:01:55], you take a [minute 00:01:56] Speaker 1: Yes, yes. Thats what we do. Thats what we do. Speaker 3: [A girls food bag 00:02:09]. Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah. Speaker 3: What is it? Speaker 1: The peanut. Speaker 3: [Spinach 00:02:14]? Speaker 1: Yeah. Speaker 3: Were in. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:02:17]? Female: [Amharic language 00:02:19]. Speaker 3: [That big thing 00:02:18]. Female: [You can see 00:02:20]. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:02:28 - 00:02:29]? Female: Mm? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:02:30 - 00:02:31]. Male: [Amharic language 00:02:30 - 00:02:31]. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:02:32 - 00:02:34]? Female: [Amharic language 00:02:33]. Speaker 1: Mm? Female: [Amharic language 00:02:34]. Male: [Amharic language 00:02:36]. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:02:38]. [You can talk 00:02:40]. [Amharic language00:02:44 - 00:02:46]. [Amharic language 00:02:47] Speaker 1: Can take a picture of that and yeah. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:02:53 - 00:02:53] Female: Mm? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:02:54]? Female: Mm? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:02:55 - 00:02:57]? Female: [Amharic language 00:02:57]? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:02:58 - 00:03:00]. Female: Eh? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:03:01 - 00:03:04]. Female: [Amharic language 00:03:05]. Speaker 1: [Its okay 00:03:05]. Female: [Amharic language 00:03:06 - 00:03:06]? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:03:06 - 00:03:07]. Female: [Amharic language 00:03:08] Speaker 1: Yeah, you can. Female: [Amharic language 00:03:09] Speaker 3: All right. Female: [Amharic language 00:03:10]. [Amharic language 00:03:10 - 00:03:11] Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:03:11]?

Female: [Amharic language 00:03:11 - 00:03:12] Male: [Amharic language 00:03:12 - 00:03:13] Male: [Amharic language 00:03:13 - 00:03:14]. Child: [Amharic language 00:03:13 - 00:03:14] Male: [Amharic language 00:03:14]. Male: [Amharic language 00:03:15 - 00:03:16]. Male: [Amharic language 00:03:16 - 00:03:18]. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:03:20 -00:03:28] Female: [Amharic language 00:03:28]? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:03:29]. Female: [Amharic language 00:03:30-00:03:34]. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:03:34]. Female: [Amharic language 00:03:34 - 00:03:36]. Speaker 1: [00:03:36 - 00:03:37]? Female: Mm? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:03:37]. Female: Mm? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:03:37]. Female: Mm? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:03:37]. Female: Mm? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:03:38 - 00:03:40] Female: Mm? Speaker 1: [Sure 00:03:41]. [Amharic language 00:03:42 - 00:03:46]. Female: Eh, [Amharic language 00:03:47]? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:03:48 - 00:03:49]. Female: [Amharic language 00:03:49]? [Amharic language 00:03:50]? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:03:51 - 00:03:52]. Female: [Amharic language 00:03:53]? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:03:55 - 00:03:57]. Female: [Amharic language 00:03:58]? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:03:59]? Female: [Yeah 00:04:00]. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:04:01 - 00:04:02]? Female: [Amharic language 00:04:03 - 00:04:04]. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:04:05]. Female: [Amharic language 00:04:05] Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:04:06]? Female: [Yeah.00:04:06]. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:04:07]? Female: [Yeah 00:04:06]. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:04:07]. Female: [Amharic language 00:04:09]. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:04:09 - 00:04:11]. [Amharic language 00:04:15] Yeah.

Female: [Amharic language 00:04:16 - 00:04:17]? Speaker 1: Be careful. Be careful. You can have a seat over here now yeah? If you want. Be careful that Female: [Amharic language 00:04:24 - 00:04:25] Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:04:25]. [There are pretty much a 00:04:27][woman 00:04:27]. [Amharic language 00:04:28 - 00:04:30]. Female: [Amharic language 00:04:32 - 00:04:33]? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:04:33 - 00:04:334]? Female: Mm. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:04:35 - 00:04:36]. Female: [Amharic language 00:04:36 - 00:04:37] [Amharic language 00:04:37] [e-mail 00:04:37- Amharic language 00:04:38]. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:04:39 - 00:04:43]? Female: Uh-huh? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:04:44 -00:04:46]? Female: [Amharic language 00:04:46]? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:04:47 - 00:04:53]. Female: [Amharic language 00:04:53 - 00:04:55]? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:04:56 -00:04:58]? Female: Hmm? [Amharic language 00:04:59 - 00:05:01]? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:05:01 - 00:05:04] Female: Hmm? Speaker 1: [00:05:05 - 00:05:06]? Female: Yeah. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:05:07]. Female: [Amharic language 00:05:08 - 00:05:09] Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:05:09 - 00:05:17] Female: [Amharic language 00:05:18 -00:05:22]? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:05:22]. Female: Mm? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:05:23]. [Amharic language 00:05:24 - 00:05:26] 1 Female: [Amharic language 00:05:26 - 00:05:27]? Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:05:28]. Female: [Amharic language 00:05:28 - 00:05:29] Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:05:29 - 00:05:30]. Female: [Amharic language 00:05:30]. Speaker 1: [Amharic language 00:05:31 - 00:05:36]? Female: All right. [Amharic language 00:05:38]? Speaker 1: [Hello, 00:05:38]. Whats shes asking you now, is there any way; you can help this organization to get some funds from somewhere? Speaker 3: I dont know. Im just starting the process. Im curious to make a small donation myself. But obviously, its not going to [keep 00:06:02] a big one as far as that goes. Im starting to meet with more people and organizations in the US and so on. Speaker 1: Yes, yes thats what I want.

Speaker 3: I can let them know whats going on. Speaker 1: Yes, that is it. Speaker 3: So thats Speaker 1: That is it. That is it. Speaker 3: Yeah, this is eye opening for me and so I bring that information on. Speaker 1: That is it. Thats great. Speaker 3: Thats the whole idea. Speaker 1: Thats great youre going to tell them there. Even you have our e-mails so youll give them our e-mail address. Speaker 3: You have information, or cards and stuff? Speaker 1: No, we dont have but we can give you our addresses. Speaker 3: Yeah, okay. Put that Speaker 1: We can put address; address here. We can give our address. You can give them and let they write for us or ask Speaker 3: Yeah, let me Speaker 1: You have our e-mail address? Speaker 3: Do I? Yeah, my friend set this up; the USA guy. I think we have your information; I meant picture. Do you have website or? Website? Speaker 1: Yes. Well, not exactly big one. We have one article [inaudible 00:07:01]. We have got a [federation 00:07:02]. Federation means Speaker 3: Federation. Speaker 1: Yeah. There are DPOs like ours. Six DPOs; there is an umbrella organization called The Ethiopian National Association of People with Disabilities. In that website, we have also an article about [inaudible 00:07:23]. It may have some. Let me check with have a seat please. Speaker 3: I will. Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah. Speaker 3: Hes interesting. Hiwot Center for the Blind: Speaker 1: I'm asking how did you manage to get here from your office here? I think you are coming from the embassy? Mike: Kind of, yes. My friend works for the embassy. I'm staying with him. Speaker 1: I see. Mike: His driver brought me here. Speaker 1: The driver brought you here? Mike: Yes, I feel very special here. I have a driver, I go wherever I want. It's a very unique experience to have a driver for me. In America ... Speaker 1: Are we expecting other visitors? Mike: No, just me. Speaker 1: Just you, okay. Mike: Silly me. I'm on this mission around the world. I'm losing my sight and so, social media is deciding where I go. Speaker 1: Are you saying that you have lost some of your sight?

Mike: I have. I have RP, retinitis pigmentosa. Are you familiar with that, retinitis pigmentosa? Speaker 1: What's pigmentosa? Mike: Pigmentosa. Speaker 1: Retinitis pigmentosa. Yes, so the degeneration of the retina. Mike: I see. Speaker 1: It's a progressive thing. Mike: Is it because of diabetes or is it because of ... Speaker 1: No, it's not. It's genetic, I was born with it. Mike: I see, okay. So my parents carry a gene and so combine those then you get me, beautiful me. Speaker 1: (Laughs). Mike: Can you see me? How much can you see? I'm sorry you can't see my face. Speaker 1: No, I cannot see you but I can feel that you are handsome (laughs). Mike: That's good. Yes. Your English is great. Where are you from? Speaker 1: I am from Ethiopia. Of course, my background, by training I am an English teacher for the students. Not for native students, of course, not for you (laughs). I was English teacher for ... Mike: So, your English is better than mine. Speaker 1: No. Mike: Foreign people that learn English, it becomes better. Speaker 1: How come? Mike: I grew up with English and I learned all the bad habits but if you learn it and study it you learn it the right way. When you grow up with one language you just learn all the crap about it and you speak it better. Speaker 1: Thank you very much, I didn't know (laughs). Mike: I'm not convinced yet but in an hour I'll throw some fun words in there for you. Speaker 1: Yes. Mike: Anyway, what I'm doing is going around and my friend is setting me up with people like you or organizations and just learn different things that have been going on. A couple of days ago I was with the National Federation of the Deaf Blind. Speaker 1: Okay, Roman. Mike: Roman, yes. Speaker 1: She's deaf blind. Mike: Yes she is. Speaker 1: I know her. Mike: She's very passionate. I felt serious passion coming out of her. Speaker 1: Yes. Mike: Obviously she didn't speak a lick of English but there's translators. So, that was a tough experience but I had it recorded and whoever has to transcribe that is going to be having a fun time. So, that was interesting to see and they're on a different economic level. They have this room and four kids but they talk about the program and how they brought kids in every day and took them out. So, I'm just learning what's going on.

I've done a little research here and there but it's interesting that, if I understand correctly, cataracts was a big deal in Africa or Ethiopia because people don't wear shades, because they allow the sunlight to really get to them. Is that ... Speaker 1: It's a big problem in our country, cataract. Cataract is one of the eye diseases. Mike: And that's developed. Speaker 1: Yes, it's one of the major causes of blindness. Mike: Yes, people allow it to happen in the sun, right? Speaker 1: Yes. Mike: It's a culture thing not to wear shades like you have on right now? Speaker 1: Yes. Mike: The shades are something that helps you, right? Speaker 1: Yes. Mike: They're not just style. Speaker 1: People don't have those devices. Mike: Yes. So, they don't have access to shades and things? Speaker 1: Yes, they don't have. Mike: That's interesting. Speaker 1: Another problem is trachoma. In fact, trachoma is the top on the list of causes of blindness in our country. The Federal Ministry of Health conducted a study on the prevalence of blindness in Ethiopia with international partners such as Life for the World, Christian [inaudible 05.08] Mission and Orbis International, the Carter Center. With these international partners the Ministry of Health conducted a study on the prevalence of blindness and the report found that in Ethiopia there are up to four million partially or totally blind people. So four million people represents about 4% of the total population of the country. Abraham: Hello Speaker 1: Hello. Mike: Hi. Abraham: [Speaking foreign language]. Speaker 1: [Speaking foreign language]. Mike: USA is here. I'm Mike Abraham: Abraham. Mike: What is it? Abraham: Abraham. Mike: Abraham. Patrick: I am Patrick. Mike: Patrick? I can remember that. Abraham Zizaza ... I don't know. Zizi. Speaker 1: Zaza. Daniel: How you doing? Mike: Alright buddy. Daniel: You holding up? All: {Crosstalk]. Mike: I was so happy to give him that too. Daniel: He seemed like he was good. He's highly recommended. I was like give me the pamphlets I've got to give them to you. You could really use some of these pamphlets man.

All: [Crosstalk]. Mike: I'm recording it. Speaker 1: Okay. Like a chairperson. All: (Laughs). Speaker 1: But I am not a chairperson. Thank you for the appointment. All: (Laughs). Female: Addis Hiwot Center of the Blind, he's a founder, by the way and he's ... Speaker 1: One of the founders. Female: One of the founders and he's the vice chair of Addis Hiwot Center of the Blind. He's describe about Addis Hiwot Center is [inaudible 07.51]. Speaker 1: I think Patrick can explain. Female: Yes. Speaker 1: Patrick can give an explanation on the center. Female: Yes. Patrick: I could do a little bit. I could talk about our grant here. Speaker 1: Can you start? Patrick: Well, I know that this organization was originally founded by and for war veterans that lost their sight as adult and therefore had an entirely different set of needs in terms of their training and background but over time, because of their location here they had shifted more and more to helping students at the university because we're very close to the university. So, they do a lot of tutoring and that kind of support. Our relationship with this organization, or the US embassy's relationship started several years ago before I came. They applied and received some funding under PEPFAR for dealing with the disabilities community and HIV / Aids prevention and they did an excellent job with that grant. So, when we saw another proposal for a braille embosser, we decided to take a look to see what we could do under that. The second award was actually from a very small agency of the US government that noone's ever heard of called the United States African Development Foundation and this was originally started under the Reagan administration as a way of cutting through all of the red tape of development. Speaker 1: USA ... Patrick: Well, essentially I assume it's the history. (Laughs). I don't know how successful they were in that mission but their idea was and is to get funding directly to indigenous organizations and cut out the middle man and really focus on private enterprise oriented solutions to development. They probably have more red tape now (laughs). Everyone has to sign a drug free workplace, just say no, and a variety of other programs but what we tried to do was help this organization develop the printing of text books and things that they were doing otherwise as a business. At least something that would provide some limited employment and it was really a service that they wanted to do but we tried to focus on the cost recovery sides of it through their USADF grant and we have another, very small, award. I think it's $2,000? Speaker 1: $3,000. Patrick: $3,000 because one of the things that we noticed in the process was the decision makers, who was making the decisions and ordering the braille text books, these were usually

sighted people and when we were delivering a braille book suddenly they can't read it, there's no labeling. They really weren't able to make the decision of whether this was a good value, a good deal or not. So, we decided to come back with a little bit of money to help them on their marketing and to produce some books in print and in braille that we could show off the quality of the product and help build our market. So, that's my involvement (laughs). Speaker 1: Thank you. So, you sounded like one of [inaudible 0.12.34]. All: (Laughs). Speaker 1: So, really, beautifully and succinctly explained and it's difficult to speak after Patrick, I think. Maybe one or two points that I may add is that the mission of the center is to rehabilitate persons who lost their eyesight as adults. In our country, the vast majority of blindness cases occur early in childhood because of various eye diseases related to poor sanitary conditions, poor hygienic environmental conditions. Most visual impairments occur early in childhood. I, myself, lost my eyesight when I was only seven years old, as I said, because of poor sanitary conditions. Until recently going blind as an adult, going blind as a grown-up was unusual but in recent times it has become more and more frequent. You may know, I'm sure you do know, that our country has suffered recurrent droughts from which severe famines resulted. I'm sure you also do know that our country has gone through a long history of civil war, civil conflicts from which land mines, probably in the millions of land mines resulted which caused visual impairment. So, there are thousands, probably, hundreds of thousands of people who lost their eyesight, who went blind either as combatants or as victims of land mines. When you came in I was telling - Sorry, I forgot your name. Mike: Mr Handsome, yes. Speaker 1: Yes. I was telling him when you came in that the Federal Ministry of Health conducted a study on the prevalence of blindness in Ethiopia in collaboration with a group of international partners such as Orbis International, the Carter Center, Life for the World, Christian [inaudible 0.15.46] Mission, the Lions Club and that study found that four million people in Ethiopia, this is when the study report was released back in 2005 or 2006. So, at that time, the number of partially or totally blind people in Ethiopia was four million and this represents about 4% of the total population of the country. Of course, vast proportions of these blind people live in remote, rural areas where access to infrastructure, social services, education is very difficult. So, Addis Hiwot Center of the Blind, as Patrick said at the beginning, was founded by war veterans who lost their eyesight as combatants and also by my colleague [inaudible 0.16.58] who lost most of her eyesight. Luckily she has not lost her sight completely but has lost most of it but she lost it not as a combatant. She lost it because of other factors. For much of her adulthood she was working in the office as a secretary but she lost her eyesight for a reason that I, myself, are not very sure of. Can you tell us why you lost your eyesight? Female: Nerves. Speaker 1: Okay, she says nerve problem. So, there are many people, an increasing number of people who lose their eyesight as gown-ups and there are very few service providers who take these people into account and this lack of service, this neglect, this lack of attention

caused these few blind grown-ups to come together, discuss their common problems and try and find a way out and that was bringing the center into being. I joined them just to provide expertise, not because I am one of their ranks myself. I am blind, of course, but, as I said, I didn't lose my eyesight as a gown-up. I lost it only as a small boy of seven. So, I joined them because I believed in their cause and wanted to contribute something else. This center has been operating for the last 10, 11 or 12 years. During this time it has helped scores and scores of late blind people. When people lose their eyesight as grownups they become confused. The psychological trauma is very severe. Families can collapse. They lose their livelihoods. They quit education and in very many cases in our county's context they become family dependents or even families can reject them. They can be thrown out to the streets to survive by begging. So, it has helped scores of late blind people to be rehabilitated, to get braille training, to get orientation and mobility training and to start life once again from scratch, continue school or continue work, maybe by changing profession. So, in order to help this process, embossing braille books is very crucial in two ways: one, provide braille text books to these blind people so that they can do their school work, they can do their studies in the high school or in college. So provide text books, not in the needed quantities but at least make available the text books to a certain number of those who are in need. The second way in which this embossing is very crucial is to the center, to keep the center operational, to keep it sustainable, to make income by selling those text books to blind readers at fair prices. So, when they make these text books available at some price, the income that the center manages to earn enables it to keep the center functional, to make service provision continue, at least, until donations are obtained, to expand the service to others who have not yet been able to obtain the service. So, may I take this opportunity to thank Patrick for facilitating the purchase of the embossers which the center is using to do the braille embossing and also, as he told us, to obtain the needed fund in order to do marketing work for the sale of the text books. I think I shouldn't make it too much. I should end my broadcast here (laughs). Thank you very much. Maybe other questions. What is unfortunate is we don't have electricity, I think and Patrick has been here with the figures. Maybe they don't have experience in their embassy, I don't know (laughs). Patrick: Sometimes. Mike: [Inaudible 0.22.43] feel good about that. Speaker 1: Otherwise we would be able to show, to demonstrate, how the braille embossers operate. They can still display the braille text book that we've embossed by means of those machines. Abraham: You have the books? Female: Yes. Patrick: Well, one of the problems that we have here in Ethiopia is that there are lots of different languages. Speaker 1: Correct. Patrick: And it's difficult to emboss in the different languages because a lot of the technical work is not finished for some of the other languages. One of the things that we've been working on here is to emboss in Tigrinya. All of the text books for seeing people are

supposed to be printed in one of the seven local languages and there's just not the technical work done to have braille encoded in each of those languages. So, we've been working with a peace corps volunteer and a blind school in McKinley to produce the text books here in Tigrinya. I think there's a lot of work that needs to be done on braille literacy because there's not a real training program, especially, in these other languages. Mike: I can imagine trying to learn braille in general, I'm sure it's like any language; you just learn it but my fingertips, I can't figure it out. I've tried. I'm sure it's like any language you can learn. What are some success stories that you have, a person or two that came in and was way in the dumps and then maybe you helped them change him or her just become a completely different person? Speaker 1: That's a good question. [Foreign language 0.25.10 - 0.26.03]. Okay, she is telling us her own story as a success case. She is saying when she went blind she was a high school graduate with [inaudible 0.26.26]. Then she joined the center, of course, she cofounded, she's one of the co-founders of the center and she had the privilege to make use of the services of the center and the rehabilitative service of the center which is the provision of braille training, the provision of orientation and mobility training, provision of psycho-social to help them cope with the trauma of late blindness. She became braille literate and with her braille literacy skills she managed to join the university and educate her first degree in American language and American literature. That was her first degree and now, she's telling us in order to diversify her academic qualification, she's now studying for her second degree in law through distance education. So, she says that her own case maybe cited as a success story because through the services of the center, she was able to join the university and achieve first degree and start working for her second. [Foreign language 0.28.13 - 0.29.15]. Another girl lost her eyesight at 17 years of age, one, seven, 17 years of age. She was living in the rural areas where she lost her eyesight. She had no education whatsoever, she had no schooling. She never went to school when she lost her eyesight at 17 years of age. Later she managed to gain access to the center. She joined the center and the center helped her by giving her training in braille literacy. After completing her braille literacy course, she started school. The center helped her to start school and she started school from grade four and then competed high school. Mike: Wow! Speaker 1: Managed to join the university, achieved her first degree in history and now, she's studying for her master's degree in what? Abraham: History. Female: History. Speaker 1: Okay, what was her first degree? Abraham: History. Speaker 1: So, first degree history and she's specializing in history? Okay, continue to study history at master's level and she's still studying history at that level. So, this is a success story she told us and I think if time allows she can go on and on. All: (Laughs). Speaker 1: There are other stories also. Mike: How many people have access to the center?

Female: 400. Mike: Wow! 400 people. Patrick: I know, I come in here on the weekends sometimes to pick up text books or things and there'll be 30 or 40 in a study session here and they have a little library. Female: It's very important for us and especially at Association for the Blind was formed by collaboration with [inaudible 0.31.34]. The library was very important and the [inaudible 0.31.41] here for the student's success, for the success of the students. Patrick: One of the things that I found interesting, it's not exactly a prejudice but more like a bias, if you talk to blind students they are pretty much in teaching or law or history. There's a bias at the university that blind people can only excel in these limited areas. So, I think one of the things that I've noticed that the center is doing, is really advocating on behalf of some of these students to say there's no way that you should absolutely be limited to these areas. So, they've been trying to get students into other areas and that's one of the things, technically, with the braille books, if you can find books that can handle the symbols for math then I think they can help overcome. Abraham: Most of the people in the university who I know they're blind, they're only focused on the law, sociology or some subject of that kind or read and understand, not focused on the maths and other economic skills. Speaker 1: The problem, Patrick, in your very first meeting when you visited the center, you may remember that I tried to explain the reasons why. The reasons, it's more than bias. Patrick wanted to be polite about it. To be very frank, and even if necessary to be very blunt about it because there are very traditional, conservative attitudes, stereotypes about visual impairment and about blind people, that they are able only to do a limited number of things. For example, in the university, as Abraham said and also as Patrick said earlier, they are able to study only law or history. Even in the case of history, there were professors who used to say that history is not within the limits of possibility for the blind. There were professors, American educated professors, UK educated professors, who had the opportunity to see many things in different parts of the world when they come back here, they don't change their attitudes. The most unfortunate thing about it. I had an opportunity to go to the United States some years back and what I found was that the building where I was staying was wired by a blind engineer. I had the opportunity to meet blind mathematicians, blind physicists. I didn't meet them but I also hear that there were persons who study medicine as blind people. So, in our country, these attitudes have not changed and they continue to have their negative impacts on policy makers, continue to have their impacts on scholars, on academics and on curriculum developers. So, because of that, things don't change and then people who had the inclination for mathematics, inclination for natural sciences in general, they are not able to unleash their potentials, use their potentials because of these stereotypes and destructive - we can call them harmful traditional practices. Why only female genital mutilation? These are also harmful traditional practices which we should fight because, as I said, the number of blind people in this country is vast. Mike: Can you fight them as an NGO? Are you able to engage in advocacy? Speaker 1: A very wonderful and a very insightful question. You know why Patrick is picking us? It's not because of any political interest but we are not blessed with a kind of political

system that we deserve and we need. There is a legislation in force at the moment which prevents NGO's from engaging in important areas of activities that can impact policies, that can impact attitudes and bring about congress change. One of them is advocacy and lobby. Where there are some barriers it is natural to find a way around and as NGO's we are trying to find ways around these restrictions. By the way, I come from a network of organizations of the visually impaired and the blind. There is a network of organizations of the visually impaired or the blind or we call it NOVIB for short. Addis Hiwot Center is a member of that network but it is one of the focus of the network. So, at the network, what we are presently doing is to promote the inclusion of visually impaired people in music education. For the last 40 years there have been restrictions on access to music education and training for the blind. Mike: This is true. Speaker 1: The oldest school of music, Yared School of Music, which is presently under Addis Ababa University, it has been preventing access, denying visually impaired people access to training in it's program. So, what we did was we conducted research as a network through NOVIB with the financial support from a Swedish based international organization which is called Salaam. Salaam is an Arabic word for peace. They called it Salaam because that Swedish based organization is being run by a Swedish citizen of Ethiopian origin. So, with the support of that organization, we conducted research. The research is on the challenges and opportunities of visually impaired people in music and what we basically wanted to do through that research is does Yared School of Music have any scientific basis, any scientific ground for preventing visually impaired people access to training. Are there scientific reasons? What does the international experience tell us? What does local experiences tell us? What does our religious history, our history of religious education in which blind people were involved over the centuries as traditional music instrumentalists, traditional music players in the religious devotion, in the church literature, what does it teach us? So, we disseminated the findings on a conference of stakeholders at the hotel. We invited all the concerned stakeholders including Addis Ababa University, the management, the college of visual and performing arts, Yared School of Music, Minister of Education, the concerned directorates, technical and vocational agencies, Ethiopian Musicians Association, private music training centers, as many relevant stakeholders as possible and then we presented the findings to the stakeholders present on the conference and the findings were admired, were appreciated. Yared School of Music was not able to defend the findings. So, then, using that report we went to the university's management. So we ask then; you should make your school of music inclusive of the visually impaired because the school has no reason to prevent them access. It has prevented access for the last 40 years on unwarranted grounds, unscientific grounds and even if there were reasons, 40 years are more than enough, more than sufficient to find solutions. Mike: So, the effect of your activities were the equivalent of advocacy without actually calling it advocacy. Speaker 1: Yes, trying to find a way around the restrictions, a way around the law. We say ...

Patrick: To clarify for our visitor, what we're talking about is there's a civil society organizations law in Ethiopia that prevents any organization with 10% of their funding from abroad, engaging in advocacy rights activities, any kinds of ... It had quite a chilling effect. Obviously there's no reason that the government is frightened by a blind organization engaging in advocacy or child rights organizations or women's rights organizations ... Mike: That's against the law here? Patrick: All of those things are not allowed if you receive 10% ... Mike: And you need to get a license to operate. When you have to renew you have to show where you're getting your income from? Patrick: Yes. Speaker 1: They are not saying directly ... Patrick: But they wanted to get at certain activities that they perceived as a threat. So, they made this blanket approach. So, all of us that are engaged in trying to build civil society have re-characterized our activities as service delivery and ... Speaker 1: Development. Patrick: I thought you mind find this interesting. Don't get me in trouble (laughs). Mike: Well, the embassy's taken a [inaudible 0.44.24] stance on what it thinks about the CSO law. Speaker 1: What is maybe ironical and ridiculous, is this proclamation when it prevents Ethiopian NGO's, foreign NGO's for that matter, when it prevents involvement in the promotion and advocacy of child rights, women rights or disability rights for that matter, where it prevents these activities, it does not prevent, in fact, it encourages the promotion of animal rights. Any NGO which is involved in the promotion, in advertising, in advocating animal rights you are automatically loved. All: (Laughs). Mike: I'm so confused. All: (Laughs). Mike: A country of beef eaters ... All: (Laughs). Patrick: I have Abraham sitting with the law right now trying to ... I said we have lots of experience with the law. Human nature, as it is, we've found ways around and through. So, I have him looking at trying to find what are certain safe areas for activity. There's no mention of the environment. If you're advocating on behalf of the greater environment, those seemed to be allowed. There's an exemption for the universities to do a whole variety of things because they're part of the state system. There are a variety of places, I think, that we can ... Abraham: Like the Youth Association, the Ethiopian Youth Association can work in any kind of rights and as [inaudible 0.46.30] because it is organized by the government and those people, the leaders from the Youth Association is connected to the government. So, they can work on rights and advocacy but they can't get funds from abroad, more than 10%. If they bring more than 10%, they can't involve in this kind of activities but the country brings more than 30% aid from other countries. All: (Laughs).

Speaker 1: They don't tell you, you cannot work in these areas on paper. They don't say it on paper. They don't put it in black and white. What they tell you is, if you want to do these things for the particular organization, if you want to do education, if you want to do conflict resolution or if you promote child disability, women and other rights, you have to mobilize 90% of your funding from local sources which is simply unthinkable. The problem, sometimes it is more than what you can think, even if there are members of the business community, even if there are philanthropists who'd like to help then, indirectly, they receive threats not to do it. They receive threats if they do this their business license or work permits will be revoked. So, indirectly, they receive threats, they are discouraged, they are intimidated. So, of course, there are hardly any local sources which can provide as much as that but even if there are some who may wish to provide a little amount they are intimidated into stopping. So, in that case, the legal environment is very discouraging but we hope that things will change for the better. We don't stop hoping at least. So, because of that, Addis Hiwot Center choses the safer ground so that we do not lose the opportunities that come from Patrick. Mike: I like your approach. We've done similar things where if you present well done research the government will respond to it. They'll listen to it if there's data and rigor associated around a policy change and we still have an audience. Speaker 1: We popularize it on the media using a wide range of media including the print, the press, FM radio stations. We popularize it on the media. We also approached, the research findings, we approached decision making people. So, we have managed to effect some change. In fact, it is still, the activity is still progressing. The school has not yet received it's first batch of blind students but we have received a pledge that by coming September, September 2014, when it is the new academic year, they will start to receive the first blind students. Mike: That's great. I know, Dan, you're reaction was similar to mine when I first heard this because I thought that our stereotype are the blind are great in music. All: (Laughs). Mike: Stevie Wonder ... Ethiopia's missing out. All: (Laughs). Speaker 1: We also have our own Stevie Wonders. Teshome Meteku, he is a famous blind Ethiopian singer and pianist. He now lives in Minnesota. We also have [inaudible 0.51.18] another junior, famous blind singer, vocalist. He now lives in Canada and we also have others who are instrumentalists and music arrangers, who are lyric or song writers. So, as you say, perhaps, music authors, one of the ideal [inaudible 0.51.47] for the visually impaired. Mike: Being blind, how does that help your music? Beethoven, wasn't he? He was deaf. Losing a sense means you're able to bring all the other senses higher or something. What helps, what's a good part of being blind in music when you're playing piano or ... Speaker 1: From literature review, we were able to learn that blind people have hearing advantage, a strong hearing advantage. When you play musical instruments or when you learn how to play musical instruments they say, according to literature, the ability to hear, the ability to concentrate is a very strong advantage and another is the anatomy of human anatomy. Literature says that in our brain there are parts which respond better to music learning, to music education.

So, it's just like language learning. Literature says if we prevent blind people studying music it's like preventing them studying language. So, there's a correlation between the two, between learning language and learning music. So, the ability to hear in the case of the blind is a very strong advantage. How it worked in the case of Beethoven is open to investigation. All: (Laughs). Mike: I think he was a genius. All: (Laughs). Speaker 1: Beethoven was a genius. Mike: Yes. Speaker 1: With multiple disabilities, yes. Patrick: The other thing I can tell you generally, is we have gotten a lot of support from the US Department of State. President Obama appointed an ambassador's level secretary Judy Human as an Assistant Secretary of State on disabilities. So, she's made, I think, since I've been here, at least two visits to take a look at how we are coordinating on disability policy across the embassy and in our programs. I have a very small shop. I have two employees and a very limited amount of grant funds, very small grants but we have no set-aside, no special programming for the disability community but when she asked us to take a look at it I went back through our records and I found out that disability organizations have been out competing the rest of our ... I think maybe there's a greater awareness that the funds are available but they have done very well in receiving grants. Some of the things I know that the embassy has worked on because I'm on this task force, is they've looked at the rail, the light rail that's going in near the elevator rail, working to make sure that those facilities are accessible to the handicapped, warning tracks, a variety of other very low cost design changes that probably would not have taken place unless there was this overall effort. So, we'll see what actually gets implemented but they have agreed to look at the design of those, the train stations and other things to make sure that they are accessible. Speaker 1: That's wonderful. Abraham: We know at the end ... All: (Laughs). Speaker 1: They can see. I'll have a tea, thank you very much. Mike: I'm alright, thanks. I've been drinking coffee all day. Patrick: It's not weak coffee here either. Mike: I know. What a place to have my first cup of coffee ever, Ethiopia, where it was invented. It wasn't bad. All: [Crosstalk 0.57.10 - 0.57.30]. Speaker 1: How long have you been here, can I ask? Daniel: Michael's been here for how long? Mike: Since Sunday. Daniel: Since Sunday. Speaker 1: Since Sunday. Daniel: He's traveling around. Why don't you tell him what you're doing. Mike: I'm going around the world. Speaker 1: I see, you're very lucky.

Mike: Yes, lucky me. It all started with, I dated a flight attendant, now I'm hooked up with a pass. Speaker 1: I haven't quite got that. Mike: I was hooked up with a pass for the major airlines. So, I'm able to use that for the most part except for between Australia and Europe I'm on my own but that's how that started and then I have this condition where I'm losing my sight and I love social media and so I was trying to think of ways, how can I get creative and just do something crazy and wild and maybe accomplish something in the end. So, the marketing part of it is on social media, I created a Facebook page and said: hi, my name is Mike Walsh, I'm losing my sight. I'm going around the world. You decide where I go and so I'm engaging with people. They're telling me where to go and so I go to some of the places that are the most popular ones. So, my first stop was New Zealand, that was the single most popular location and then other things like, Dan posted on our wall. He was the only one who mentioned anything about Ethiopia but his offer was so interesting that he's like; I work for US aid, I can set up meetings with you to organizations like right now and I was like; well, that's really interesting and I can learn a lot. Understand issues in another country and so that's why I'm here in Africa, because of Dan's suggestion on my wall. One of the goals of my journey is to learn, myself, learn about my condition. I've been very passive, my entire life, about it. I've known about it since 1997 but it hadn't affected me until two, three years, really in the last three or four years when my driving started to be more difficult and driving at night became a hard thing and I had to stop and then maybe six months, a year later I had to stop completely driving. So, it's become more something, I'm at a point where I need to learn more about it and I'm exposing myself, publicly and I'm going to do these things. So, one question I have for you is; I'm someone who is on a progressive path of my sight is getting worse. I may go completely blind. That part is very rare with my condition but what could I learn. It's scary, the prospect of what would happen. What advice would you have for me being someone with your condition? Speaker 1: I understand. Before answering your question, I would like to have some information from you about the level of your eyesight. Can you tell us how much of your eyesight do you still have left? Mike: Yes. So, my condition is about peripheral vision. It's two things or three things really; peripheral vision, it goes slowly. I had to stop driving because just making a simple turn was like; I think I don't see any pedestrians. I hit my head on stuff all the time. I don't have a cane for my head. I can't go like that. I trip on stuff all the time even using a cane. Light is very sensitive to me. I always have a hat on, even indoors unless I'm trying to be polite, which I am now but that sun coming out of the window is killing me and at night everything is darker. Speaker 1: You use shades? Mike: Shake? Speaker 1: Shades? Mike: I should be wearing sunglasses all the time. I lost a prescription pair in New Zealand but I have another pair of sunglasses and when I'm wearing contacts I wear sunglasses and I have these awful transition glasses which are a terrible product. I really look forward to that improving but interesting, today I've just started to realize, I want to test it some more but I was

in some art museum, church, it's been a long three weeks but I'm looking at the painting and it's really, really dark to me and then I'm looking at my iPhone and I'm just like; wow!. I'm looking at my iPhone through the camera and it's just like; is this the way I'm supposed to be seeing it? Because it's perfect and bright and I'm taking the picture and then I look at the painting and it's all dark. I can barely tell the colors but then I look through my iPhone and I'm like; is this what normal people see? So, I don't know. I'm going to test it out with Dan at home. Is this the same as that because that is super dark and this is perfect? So, I'm starting to realize that. When I go into a room with barely any light it's super dark for me. Speaker 1: Do you use cane regularly? Mike: I'm using a can everywhere now. If I go home to my condo, I know the place so well I'll put the cane aside. Speaker 1: You use braille? Mike: Do I use what? Speaker 1: Braille. Mike: Braille? No, I never learned it. So that's one thing I was going to ask. What other technologies besides braille, it's 2014, everything's developing, technology, is that coming to Ethiopia yet? What other technologies are coming about? I don't know a whole lot about braille but it looks ... All: (Laughs). Mike: It looks hard to me. Speaker 1: I don't feel like advising you as you requested me to do but I can share experiences with you. I wish total blindness did not happen to you but if it did, god forbid, if it did then our experience it that blindness does not mean the end of life. As I said earlier, when I was in your country, I had opportunity to visit blind Americans and I was surprised when some of them told me that after all blindness is not an impairment. Blindness is simply an inconvenience. Sorry, if I am aloud [answers phone] [foreign language 01.05.08 - 01.05.09]. So, they told me they considered it like an inconvenience and this was not an exaggeration, it was not without reason. Through technology, they made a lot of things very manageable, very easy to do. They are able to use the computer, communicate through the Internet, learn independent living skills, used not only braille, not only the traditional braille. They had different pieces of assistive braille equipment like what they called Note Taker, Braille Aids. These are very small, you can call them, manual machines which they used everywhere they went be it in the meetings, be it in classes as students or instructors or in any profession and in any setting they were able to use different forms of assistive technology to enable them to effectively perform in all kinds of situations, to my surprise. Most of these assistive technologies are not yet introduced into our society. We would like to facilitate the technology transfer to our society but still it is beyond our means but with all these means, with all these assistive devices and skills and experience, it was not an exaggeration for them to call blindness an inconvenience, not an impairment, not a disability. I think that's what I can say. As I said, better to do everything within our means, within your means to prevent the final scenario, the final occurrence of visual impairment but if that is unavoidable then, as I said, there are still many things that are possible for you and for us to do and make sure that we are productive and we are fulfilled in life.

That's what I can say. Mike: I'm just going to start taking piano lessons now. All: (Laughs). Speaker 1: Of course, why not? Mike: What is the state of things like for [inaudible 01.08.05] screen reader technologies and text to speech? Are they coming along? Speaker 1: Well, they are coming along. For example, on ... Mike: I heard your phone. Speaker 1: Well, the speech synthesizer reads the screen for me, just like it does on the computer. For a sighted person, on the computer, you communicate with the screen using your eyes. We communicate with the screen on the computer using the speech synthesizer but the problem in our situation is we don't have the up to date technology. Either we have what they call the cracked version, which is the stolen version, illegal, which causes us to be illegal because of being less advantaged, because of being less resourced. We are forced to use the cracked versions of technology. If we were able to obtain the original versions that would be much better. We would be much better off because we are able to access all sorts of information. Those cracked versions enable us only, for example, to access text, not graphics, not, for example, charts or tables. It does not enable us to use Power Points. It does not enable us to use Excel. We depend on Word and even in the case of Word we are not able to access tables and charts. As I said, because this cracked versions are of very poor quality but original versions and the versions that are very latest, up to date ... Daniel: I know we've worked to, in our library at the embassy and at the American corners libraries around the country, we have at least one of the Jaws systems installed for screen reading technology and all the rest of it but that's primarily in English. We have no Arabic, which is going to limit your utility right away. Speaker 1: Correct. So that's the status of the technology transfer at the moment. If funding is available because we have to start saving our reserves now. All: (Laughs). Speaker 1: If funding is available then with funding we can facilitate the transfer of this technology so that blind people in our society can have access to all these technologies and make their access to information faster, higher and with faster and higher access to information then they will be more effective, they will be more productive, more resourceful in all settings whether, be it in their places of employment or in school, in college, while they do research, while they do consultancy work, whether they do legal advising, in all situations and also to expand career development for the blind like opening up opportunities in untouched areas of study in higher institutions of education. So, maybe, is it time to show you around? Mike: Sure. All: [Foreign language 01.12.46 - 01.13.07]. Mike: Oh wow, yes. All: [Crosstalk 01.13.16 - 01.13.21]. Patrick: This is the donated embossing machine from the American people to ... Mike: This is a braille machine?

Female: Yes. All: [Crosstalk 01.13.32 - 01.13.34]. Speaker 1: How many machines are there? There are three machines. Which ones was obtained with funding from the US embassy? Female: This one is obtained from ... Mike: Oh, yes, it has a little flag on it. Speaker 1: But I think I heard there were two? Mike: What's the other flag? Patrick: Yes, that's Ethiopia and US. Speaker 1: This is manufactured by Enabling Technologies, a company in Texas. Mike: Can I take a picture of this? Speaker 1: Yes. Mike: Okay [Crosstalk 01.14.19 - 01.14.50]. Patrick: Sometimes they have trouble hitting their ... Female: [Foreign language 01.14.54 - 01.14.58]. All: [Crosstalk 01.14.58 - 01.15.47]. Speaker 1: This is civic and ethical education. This is for grade 12. Transcribed by Addis Hiwot Center of the Blind braille embossing and painting service. This is volume one. The problem is they cannot transcribe the full text of the ink print edition in one volume. So they do it in two, three or four volumes. So, this is the first of ... You should have mentioned how many volumes this is available in because it says only volume one. Volume one of how many volumes? Patrick: Because then you know what you're getting yourself into. If it's only three or four it's maybe okay but 20, 25 ... Daniel: The embosser that we provided, it's double sided. Patrick: Very environmentally friendly. Speaker 1: Because it's good to be economical with paper. On both sides of the paper, you can on one leaf of paper, you can produce two pages. Patrick: Yes. Speaker 1: What is to see? Mike: The library. Speaker 1: Why are these books kept here? Why not in the library? These are orders? To be collected? Okay, so, not for the library collection. All: [Crosstalk 01.17.45 - 01.18.08]. Female: Here we see the audio print library. Speaker 1: This is the audio print library because there are tactile mix as well as copy mix. There are books in braille and there are also books recorded on tape. So they call it audio print library. Mike: It's just a great space. Speaker 1: Are there library users at the moment? [Crosstalk 01.19.00 - 01.19.19]. Mike: Well, this is terrific, I must say. Speaker 1: So, you like it? Mike: It's a great space, yes. Very nice. Good, so not all serious. Abraham: [Inaudible 01.19.35 - 01.19.40].

Mike: It's great. Speaker 1: So there are academic books as well as recreation. Mike: Yes, because you don't want it all to be serious. Yes. Patrick: The last thing that I needed to do, I know it's taking me a little while to get the transfer and I've heard that it finally came through because there was a change in the account or something but what I want to do is get together with you at some point in the near future. I had gotten the graphics design and layout person for our public affairs section, our public relations section and the embassy to agree to help us in introducing a book marketed at decision makers and others but what I found out when we tried to set up the meeting for her to come, she'll be on leave for one month starting on Friday. So, I don't want us to lose all of that time because we've already been a little bit delayed but maybe we should have a meeting at the embassy or I can come back here and we can start to talk about expectations, what we have in mind, what you have in mind, what your experience tells you that we need but we managed to talk a little bit more money out of USADF so I want to make good use of it. That's all I have. Abraham: I am also contacting one person for printing. He does printing with his company. So, if they want to volunteer on the graphic design of your layout especially on the front page. So, I will ask, they didn't tell me go ahead but I will ask them if they can volunteer the design layout. So, I will check that and I will tell you because I come past this road so many times. Patrick: I do every day actually. You may not see me but I see you. Speaker 1: On the main road or down the gravel road? Patrick: I see you when you're leaving in the evening. Speaker 1: Maybe through your video camera. Mike: Thank you so much, we appreciate it. Speaker 1: One final thought; it's good that you mentioned the technical support with the graphic design but how about technical training, for example, in maintenance in the operation of the machines because these machines, no matter how good quality, with work, through use, they fade. Mike: With the power going on and off. Speaker 1: Yes. There is this depreciation. So, training in machine maintenance will help the staff to keep the machines in good working order. Patrick: We certainly recognize the importance of that. What we'll have trouble with is finding a source of the funds because, again, that's very small. I recognize that but we really are limited on what we can do. Speaker 1: If people with the skills happen to visit, we may not know but there might be still some people visiting the embassy or through other connections who have these skills may be happy to contribute. Patrick: The only thing I really know here is we've talked a little bit with your colleague, I think also one of the founders here, I know he's running this whole enterprise now, is it Enabling Technologies? Speaker 1: Yes. Patrick: I've forgotten the ... Speaker 1: Greg?

Patrick: No. Abraham: Greg was the contact person? Patrick: Greg was the contact person, yes. Anyway, I will keep that in mind. You know you have my attention. Speaker 1: Please, yes, we are sure. There is also the possibility of staff ... Female: [Foreign language 01.25.24]. Speaker 1: There is also the possibility of staff turnover because we have only, at the moment, [inaudible 01.25.30] yes. She's the only staff who is presently engaged in operating the machines and who has some know-how about keeping the machines in good working order. If the center, for some reason, loses her then the risk of the entire operation coming to a halt. So ... [foreign language 01.26.08]. So, we are grateful that, Patrick, you have this in mind, that you always have us on your mind. We know we have your attention and Abraham as well, of course. What I always think is that there are persons who are interested to volunteer, to assist but the problem is always, not to know who is who. So, through connections and through contacts such people with such resource may be found and it's good that, Patrick, you have taken note of this. We appreciate it. Mike: Well, thank you very much. We really appreciate it. Speaker 1: Thank you very much. So, please keep stopping by like Patrick. Okay, so hands? At least I can feel you and when are you leaving? Mike: Never now. Speaker 1: I think it seems you are planning to stay, to make your stay longer. You like the weather here? Mike: Yes, it's nice. It's the same thing every day. Patrick: Now, there's a few months where it might not be sunny. Speaker 1: Are you here directly from the US? Mike: No the last place was Dubai I was at. I've been going around the world. I'm going against time. Speaker 1: So, you have not gone through the recent weather extremes? Mike: No, I haven't. I've just been hearing about them. Speaker 1: Just like us. Good. Thank you very much. Please, we have enjoyed your stay with us and we hope we will see you again. Mike: Okay, we'll see you again soon. He's Daniel. Speaker 1: Daniel okay and Mr Handsome. I don't forget you. All: [Crosstalk 01.29.00 - 01.29.24]. Mike: See you bud. Good to meet you and good work. Sebeta School for the Blind Mike: Okay, its good, which is I remember things. Thank you for letting me come here and the way out here its a its great that Ive been to various charities already, Federations of the Deaf and Blind, Ethiopian Federation, I want to say of Deaf and Blind, Im getting more mixed up, and I met them at Braille School, Braille Institute yesterday. That was fascinating and then I did another thing that wasnt online related.

Yes, I guess my thing is well you know of me but Im going around the world, Im losing my own site with RP, retinitis pigmentosa, its part of Ushers Syndrome so I had two issues. Theyre related and its a genetic disorder. I have this social media campaign, I have people vote in where I go and that raises awareness to blind issue, vision issues. Then when I do stuff like this to meet with you and I blog about it and I educate them and its just passing information all along my experiences and what happens here. Flight4Sight is the whole, because its a hash tag and then Facebooking and see everything Im doing in there. Im going to have a website too. Im just learning from what you guys do and what the issues are. Speaker 2: Did you have enough information about this institute? It is a combination of, it had the primary school, it is the school which is enrolling all children with disabilities from all over the country and our colleges, I mean 33 colleges in Ethiopia, the College of Teacher Education. This one and the special one it is special because it was established to serve or to create teachers who can teach children with disabilities. The name itself is Specialist Education Teachers College, this college. Mike: The name of it? Speaker 2: The name of this college is Sebeta Special Needs Teacher Education College. Mike: Of the whole place? Speaker 2: Our focus is special ed. Mike: Yes, like online. Speaker 2: All disabilities with all disabilities. We can have, you can get children with visual impaired children from grade one to eight about 390 something student are here in this campus. I like to drove all over the country because there is no said facility in other areas. Thats why childrens collected from all over the country and they sent here the government support, a few amount of money, very little amount of money. If theyre in the boarding school, they live in this campus, children from grade one to grade eight. We can even discuss with those people. I want to know the things you need to do here and if you want to discuss with those people, all right. We also have teacher educators who are visually impaired. We have two teachers. Theres teachers in that school, primary school here in this campus. You may have a good time with them if you let us schedule the discussion with these people and conduct accordingly the discussion. Additionally, I want to know your concerns here because to understand the schedule things, it is better to understand the concern of your visit. Mike: I guess you have an audiologist right in here. Speaker 2: Pardon? Mike: Audiologist around here. Speaker 2: Okay. Mike: No, my hearing aid is busted through in a way and like, okay. Its clogged. Anyway, I can hear one ear good, so Im hearing you very well. Yes, Im open anything so learning whats going on and whatnot and I have questions as I come. I guess one quick question is canes, is that not a thing around here or Speaker 2: Canes? Mike: Canes like you have. Speaker 2: Yes. Mike: I guess I would expect to see more canes but then I dont know if thats like a culture thing or.

Speaker 2: Yes, there is for mobility, childrens use cane but all truth is we couldnt access this cane because it is very difficult for the government to supply for children, I dont know. There is no money for that and some of them have cane. They use cane but they always ask for cane. They couldnt get. We have been trying to ask different people to support them, to provide them cane but it is very difficult for us to cover all, to provide all students this cane. Mike: Expensive, the issue is. Speaker 2: Yes. Mike: Its not really a cultural thing. Speaker 2: Most of them use sticks, just wood sticks, only wood sticks and most of them have no cane and wood stick at all. No other and their mobility, those who have no cane and the stick couldnt go away from this campus. They stay. Mike: Unless there is someone that can see and theyre holding unto him. Speaker 2: Yes. One of the problems in this one. The other thing is I dont know the stylus to write the Mike: Silence? Speaker 2: Stylus, for writing, braille writing. Mike: Okay. Speaker 2: They need that. In most cases they ask this in addition our student asked tape recorder but we couldnt find in the market in Ethiopia. That was a problem, the Walkman tape. To at least record what the teachers are speaking and to listen when they were at the home. We also search in the market, we couldnt access in the market. There is no this Walkman tape in the market. That was a very great problem. We asked the association itself, the association itself and the association supplies some education materials and we buy from the association to supply to the student but this tape recorder is not found in the market. That is a problem. Shall we go to the school and discuss with the primary school. You can even get to those children. Mike: Yes, it sounds good. Speaker 2: Shall we get, first let us speak to children. It is better to you to get them one, then the teachers and the school has its own principal. We can discuss with the principal as well. Mike: Whats your role? Speaker 2: I am the dean of the college. Mike: Yes. Speaker 2: The dean of the college. Theyre [inaudible 00:09:34], the director of the primary school, school director, so we can speak with her as well. Why dont you brief her first, and second and third. Mike: I dont know whatever you think is best. I dont have preference, whatever were speaking as I guess we could start I could start with the kids maybe, thats what its about and maybe I have questions for the older people about what I learned from them. Does that make sense? Speaker 2: Okay. Mike: Or we go the other way around. Speaker 2: Lets go to the school and get the children. You can speak with and we probably have our students most probably I hope they will be around here and later on you can discuss with the teachers.

Mike: Im just wondering about my driver I dont know what he knows. When will I be done, what do you think? I dont know really, I assume hes just staying here, my driver. I dont know. Are you from around here? Speaker 2: Yes. Mike: Are you from here? Speaker 2: Yes. Mike: Ethiopia? Speaker 2: Yes. Mike: Im changing my battery right now. Wrong hearing aid, hold on. Shall we go? Speaker 2: Shall we go, we shall. Mike: I wear hat a lot because sunlight really hurts my eyes, with RP, Im sure you know. [Crosstalk 00:15:12] Speaker 2: Mike [inaudible 00:15:39] Im speaking with the local language now to introduce you. [Foreign language 00:15:51] You can ask and speak with her now. I introduced you already with the local language that youre here to at least visit children who are visually impaired and to at least speak with them, with the teachers and to understand their problems as well. You can ask and communicate with her. Mike: What is your role here? Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:17:03] She is the director of this the school is led by her. She is the director and every activity is managed by her in this campus, in this school. Mike: Everything goes to her. Speaker 2: Yes. Mike: How many kids this is the elementary school part of it? Speaker 2: Yes. Mike: How many kids in the elementary school? Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:17:35] Speaker 3: Three hundred nine. Speaker 2: Three hundred and nine. Mike: What are the various and these were all blind issues or different, have a different conditions or what are the different conditions with the 309? Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:17:57] Speaker 3: All are blind. Mike: What kind of blindness? Speaker 3: Total blind and low visions. Speaker 2: Most of them are totally blind. Mike: Completely blind? Speaker 2: Yes. Some of them are. Speaker 3: Around 47, low vision. Speaker 2: Forty seven, low vision. Mike: What is the name of the condition that a lot of them have, just blind like born with it? Do they develop it? Is it first defect or? Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:18:39]

Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:18:46] Mostly theyre natural, born blind and some or few of them rather become blind after sometimes because of different factors. Mike: What are some of that like positive things that blind children developed versus children that can see like what are blind children perhaps really skilled at as opposed to someone with sight. What other senses are heightened, do you know what Im saying? Speaker 2: Positive things they have developed because the while they are here? Mike: No, like Im always curious about are there senses that are heightened, so Im losing my sight, I feel like my sense of movement is heightened because Im not people who likes watch myself move. What skills do blind children throughout adulthood like as they grow up? What do they developed that you meet towards that, towards having the condition versus someone who they will see the whole time? Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:20:09] Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:20:34] Speaker 2: When, first, they arrive they train mobility how to move from place to place, mobility skill and braille as a course. The other courses are the curriculum of the writing. The education is provided on the curriculum of the region. What is special is learning mobility skill and the cane, how to write with cane, like this. In addition what is different is traditionally in Ethiopia it has been believed blind start unable, so in most cases they expose themselves to beg around the age of the [inaudible 00:21:51] but students in this school know that that can led, they are able to led and they are learning and so many professionals have been graduate from universities starting from school [foreign language 00:22:10] Speaker 3: Any. Speaker 2: So many professionals have been graduated from universities starting here in this school. This is their contribution and the difference. Those poor are not in the school. They didnt know they are able to learn even. Mike: We were talking about change before, if you did have access to more canes what would be better around here like how would that help? Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:22:55] Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:23:02] Speaker 2: She told me that 309 of the students have no cane and when they complete grade six they are expected to go outside the campus. That mobility is impossible without having cane. That is the problem she told me and she tried to at least procure some amount of canes that she didnt get enough budget to supply those student who I expected to go outside the campus because after grade six these childrens have no residence in this college or in this school. The home is allowed only for students from grade one to six. For grade seven and eight they have to go outside the campus and went to their own home with this small amount of pocket money provided by the school which is the grant of the government. She told me that that is the problem, having no cane is a problem for those childrens. Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:25:27] Mike: One question, part of this journey Im going on is personal and that I try to ask people that deal with blindness. I explained my condition, its kind of progressive, its going in like what advise do you have for me as I deal with what Im dealing with. Ive known about it for a long

time but in the last three, four years these things are really starting to change. What advice do you have for me? Speaker 2: Concerning what? Mike: Concerning just my future like as it tend to be progressive. Im trying to learn how to deal with it. I deal with it actually pretty well but theres I dont know what the future is going to be like. Every day I feel like its changing and maybe its just a hair because its so progressive, so slow. I guess I asked what advice do you give me like this is a persons journey as well as me trying to learn from other people what they were doing and so. Speaker 2: Is it a personal advice or for a Mike: For like my condition as it goes like how for me to deal with it. Speaker 2: Problems? Mike: Yes, for me. Thats one. What advice do you have as I deal with what I am dealing with? Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:26:56] Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:26:57] I dont know that I understand your question or not but I understand that you have been moving from place to place to see these children. I read from the message on the internet you have sent for me. You have interest to at least visit these children and to help them as well and to communicate with these children. Mike: Yes, my mission is Im going around the world. Im just learning. Im visiting schools, charities here just learning whats going on. I find it interesting that you need canes and then its very easy for me to I can afford my own cane and so its I can see as like pretty well. Its getting worst but having a cane is great for me because without it I walk a lot slower and I got to look. Thats one of the first things I noticed when I came here. Everything is just kind of, Im just learning and just trying to send messages back home like this is what I learned in this county, different. Every country I try to meet with people where theyre in New Zealand I met with the New Zealand Blind Foundation. In New York, I interviewed someone whos a blind dancer. Its kind of finding people and learning and just going with it. Its also a personal journey as well. Im just learning about my condition and Im forcing myself to learn about it, deal with it and be very open on the internet about it like exposing myself and allowing people to ask me questions and forces me to think about it more and investigate it. Id been very passive about it my entire life. Im making apologies about it, I was busy. Im busy doing whatever I was doing. I didnt have time to think about it. There is nothing to think about it. I was seeing, I was driving, it wasnt bad and then it started to getting worst here a little bit here and there. Yes, I guess I asked that question just like sentiments of advice and just kind of like obviously I just appreciate every moment to but what things I can think about in the future as I continue to deal with the personal. Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:29:47] Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:30:08] Speaker 2: She told that you might have a huge opportunity to communicate with these children and to learn from them and to at least help them through your personal internal satisfaction. There is an opportunity to discuss with these children and understand the problem what they have and even to discuss with teachers who are visually impaired and much of their experiences from them because I can assure you the director learned from experience, from the exposure but then they learn because they are with this disability, with this impairment.

It is better to discuss with them and learn and exchange your idea even. Thats better for me. Concerning the other there are so many people who are interested to support these children and you can join them even. You can join them and you can discuss with them how to help these kids. She told me this. Concerning this impairments, very few children have not only hearing impairment, not only visual impairment, they have also this, mentally retarded. Their friends are already graduated and get their own job, but some of them are still here. While their friends are graduating and assigned to different professional jobs but some of there are still here. Out of our technological centered countries, technological standard is a bit is back so there is no such exposure to different technologies to support these children even Mike: What other technologies are there that you wish you had access to? Speaker 2: For example, it is definitely none to say, none. Mike: Whats that? Speaker 2: There is no technology except cane and stylus and braille. Mike: Cane, stylus and what? Speaker 2: Braille. Mike: Braille, those are the two main things that you really wanted? Speaker 2: Yes, and there is not even resource center to identify the kind of impairment and the level of their blindness to identify that there is no such technologies around here. Mike: A lot of these kids they have visual impairments, you dont even know what they are like their technical term as far as its you just know that theres visually impaired? Speaker 2: Yes. Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:34:57] Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:35:05] Look, if you identify the level of their impairment you can provide them support accordingly but these facilities are not available around. That is the problem. Mike: Yes, you could design the program. Speaker 2: Sure, even it is very difficult for us to supply them a book, braille books, no machines to duplicate that books as they only learn from teacher, aiding from teacher. Mike: What they say? Speaker 2: Yes. Mike: Are there some specific success stories that you can talk about like certain people that just they came in like really rough and then they just kind of like blossomed just Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:36:01] Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:36:07] Speaker 2: Dr. Tamiru is a teacher at [inaudible 00:36:40] University. He has his own private business. He has his own private business. He goes to the PhD level and so many lawyers from this school. Mike: Lawyers? Speaker 2: Lawyers, teachers and Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:37:04] Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:37:05] And singer, popular singer and so many.

Mike: Are there certain stigma what blind, visually impaired people can only do? I heard you talked yesterday or its like this thing were they only recommend lawyers jobs, teachers. Its kind of like some stigma thats out there but do you know much amount that concept. Speaker 2: The facilities for them to explore themselves to different profession. The facility matters, the context. There is not context thats supported them to prefer even different professions. Even they couldnt learn mathematics. They couldnt learn mathematics. The problem is not their ability. The problem is the facility. Mike: Access. Speaker 2: Yes, the access. Thats why, as you heard so many nurse and teachers have come. Nurses and the teachers are coming because they learn and hear, read about different stories. In most cases there are even language teachers, history teachers, in most cases, history teachers and the language teachers. In most cases, others fields of subject this requires some kind of mathematical calculations so the facility protects them to learn this so they are restricted to language and history. Mike: [Inaudible 00:39:02] at math doesnt work because theres no book, textbooks to teach them math? Speaker 2: Yes, sure. Thats the problem. Mike: Because braille is only words and math is numbers. Is there no braille for numbers? Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:39:20] Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:39:24] She told me that they learn mathematics from grade 1 to 6 but not beyond because there is no books and teachers as well to teach them. This mathematics using braille are the problem she told me. Mike: Success stories for blind people in America are Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles. Where am I getting at, thats the stereotype of whatever but why, I mean is being blind, does it help with music? I mean does it help you feel music in a certain way? Yes, you mention our opera singer, did you mentioned opera singer? I thought you did. Speaker 2: Sorry. Mike: What can you teach any like on music and those that are blind like how that helps them to fuel the music or whatever and as opposed to someone who isnt blind and you put in the same instrument? Just curious. Speaker 2: In terms of, the facility matters. In America there are so many sets of stories we read and we heard. Mike: But you dont have the facilities from here? Speaker 2: Sure, but there are musicians, blind musicians I Ethiopia, popular one. Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:41:27] Speaker 2: There is a music class here in this school. There is this music class for childrens who are visually impaired. [Foreign language 00:41:42] Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:41:49] Speaker 2: There are musicians in Ethiopia, popular musicians, but not as much many members. So as you already said the facility matters, the facility mattes, yes. Mike: Thats good so far. Speaker 2: For me it is better to discuss with teachers who are visually impaired. Shall we call them here and speak with them? Mike: Yes, we can do that.

Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:42:39] Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:42:51] Speaker 2: There is a room for visually impaired children, the CIT room. They learn there and you can discuss with students as well and finally, you can discuss with these teachers. Mike: Okay. Speaker 2: You have been here in Ethiopia for one week? Mike: Yes, Sunday through Friday so Im Speaker 2: How do you find Ethiopia? Mike: Im enjoying it, I mean its an experience you know learning about this developing country, seeing all the buildings like that are being developed and buts its cool. Im curious like Ive been curious like back in five years to see what its been and ... as far as pictures what would I be allowed to do? Speaker 2: Sure? Mike: As far as pictures what would I be allowed to do? Take you know? Speaker 2: Pictures. Mike: Pictures like, take a pictures for the blog. Speaker 2: Picture of those children and the campuses. Mike: Yes, is that okay. Speaker 2: Possible, no problem. Mike: No problem? Speaker 2: Yes. Mike: All right. Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:47:01] Kakema: [Foreign language 00:47:02] Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:47:03] Have a sit here. Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:47:50] Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:48:05] So you can talk to him and you can share your experience to Mike, hes from America and he can define his interest to you. He is a teacher. He is visually impaired as well and hes teaching here so you can discuss with him. Kakema: Okay, nice to see you Mike. Mike: Nice to see you. Kakema: Im Kakema, K-A-K-E-M-A and Im a teacher here. I teach computer and I have students from grade school and now they are doing some exercises on computers. We have about four computers in the room and we Mike: Four computers in the whole campus? Kakema: Four computers, yes, Mike: In the while campus. Speaker 2: Yes, for the school. Mike: For the elementary school or? Kakema: Yes, for the elementary school. Mike: Elementary means what? Speaker 2: Grade one to eight. Mike: One through eight, the four computers? Speaker 2: Yes, four computers.

Kakema: They are not enough but just we are teaching them. The number of the students with the number of computers we have. Mike: One to almost a hundred. How are you, like with blind issues how do you, what do you on the computer? Like my first thought is how do you see the computer or whats going on in there? Do you see what you see or how does that work? I guess what do you see or how do you use the computer if youre visually impaired? Kakema: When? Its interesting and we are using it as much as possible for our interest and for our students I think it is useful especially when they learn in high schools and the universities. It can give good service for them. Mike 1: Are there good programs like Im hearing the computers talk? Are there good programs like that now? Kakema: Yes, we have the programs. Mike: Yes, that talk about whats on the website. Kakema: Yes, JAWS. Mike: Okay, that would make sense. What would you like to see developers do more for that, in that area? What could future developers that are making those programs, what could they do better to make it easier for blind people to use the computer, use the internet. Kakema: Well, they use the internet, JAWS is very important especially Mike: You said JAWS? Kakema: JAWS, yes. We use JAWS. Mike: JAWS, thats a program. Kakema: JAWS is with speech. We use it. It is now its version is 14 I think. Mike: Version 14. Kakema: Yes, but we have the 8 ones and the 9 ones here. Mike: The old ones? Kakema: The old ones? Mike: Okay, you have the old versions. Kakema: Yes, the old version. Mike: Which version are you on? Kakema: Just now, eight I think. Mike: Eight, and theres a 14. Is that a subscription program that you get to buy it and put it again every time? Kakema: It is very expensive to buy it. Its expensive. Mike: I got you. JAWS? Kakema: JAWS, J-A-W-S. Mike: JAWS. Kakema: Its a short form, Job Access With Speech. Mike: Got you. Where is that from? Kakema: What do you use in America? This is from America. Mike: I dont know? I dont use my vision is still Im able to read. I have a progressive condition, retinitis pigmentosa. I might become completely but my vision is going and going. Thats interesting. Where is JAWS from, I have no idea. Kakema: Its from America.

Mike: Okay, because this is something I can send back to them because I have people watching my journey from Silicon Valley and so this is very interesting to me, cool. Speaker 2: What other program you [inaudible 00:52:51] to that develop program developers look why you are using these computers, you might face some shortcomings. Kakema: Yes, we are facing different problems especially in installing different softwares. We have problems and when technically they are wrong. We dont have people to arrange it or to fix it. We ask different people from [inaudible 00:53:18] to fix it. Im just waiting for somebody who is coming to fix it and we have a problem of viruses. To remove those viruses we need people with Mike: Your computers are full of viruses? Kakema: Yes, full of viruses. In addition to that we are in lack of the connection of internet. Mike: Thats a network problem? Kakema: Yes, internet problem, connection problem. Mike: Just like all over, connection problem Kakema: Not only the connection, the access. Mike: The access to what is there. Kakema: We dont have the access of internet. Mike: You dont have internet here? Kakema: Yes. Speaker 2: [Foreign language 00:54:19] Mike: You dont have internet at all? Speaker 2: There is internet connection in this campus which is provided by the college. We provide them in one room there in the library, down there but for there is a connection problem, a matter of connection. Technical Kakema: If you need something that is a Speaker 2: Its s technical then we can improve. This can be managed by the college itself, no problem. [Foreign language 00:55:04] Would you like to speak to students? They are here to speak to you. You can have their pictures. Mike: I would like that. Speaker 2: Anyway, they are learning with the computer. You can have your picture. You can speak now. Mike: I dont know what to ask. Speaker 2: You can ask simple questions that they may respond to. Mike: What do you like the most about this campus, the school? Kakema: Are you doing them one by one? Mike: No. [Foreign language 00:55:45] Speaker 2: They are going to introduce themselves to you their name and everything. [Foreign language 00:55:55] Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:55:56] Student: My name is [inaudible 00:56:06] Im a grade eight student. Student: My name is [inaudible 00:56:18]. Im a grade eight student. Student: My name is [inaudible 00:56:26]. I am a grade eight student. Student: My name is [inaudible 00:56:31]. I am a grade eight student. Indaluka: My name is [Indaluka 00:56:39]. I am a grade eight student.

Kakema: [Foreign language 00:56:45] Deneba: My name is [Deneba Pura 00:56:46]. Im in grade eight. Student: My name is [inaudible 00:56:52]. Im in seventh. Kakema: [Foreign language 00:56:52] Did you hear them? Did you hear them when they say it? They introduce to you their names and they are in grade 7th and 8th. Mike: Theres some good English there. Kakema: Yes. If you have the person that you can ask because they are many too, at least youll hear from them. Mike: Like I asked before what do you like best about the school here? Kakema: [Foreign language 00:57:29] What do you like, Gasham? Gasham: In this compound? Kakema: In this campus, yes. Gasham: In this compound is the [inaudible 00:57:46] I think because and the library, very are six computers [inaudible 00:57:54] so Im happy for these qualities. Kakema: For the existence of six computers and the library. Gasham: Yes, its important for us so I like that. Kakema: They are very happy for the computers up a little bit in the library. Gasham: Yes, because we use the can get so many information from [inaudible 00:58:29] so its for that. Kakema: Who else, anybody? What about Kafelo? What do you like? Kafelo: I like music. Kakema: You like music? Kafelo: Yes. Kakema: Do you play music? Kafelo: Just [inaudible 00:58:29] Mike: What do you play? Kakema: Do you play? Kafelo: Yes, I play. Kakema: He likes music, he plays. Do you play keyboard? Kafelo: Yes. Kakema: He can play keyboard and all that is. [Senebum 00:59:09], yes, what do you enjoy? [Foreign language 00:59:15] Speaker 3: [Foreign language 00:59:15] Speaker 2: Okay, do have any other question? Did you hear them what they say? Mike: Whats that? Speaker 2: What they said, did you hear their response for your question? Mike: Yes, music [inaudible 00:59:39]. I thought someone said food? Cafeteria, he likes the somewhere here. Speaker 2: Kafelo. Mike: What do you like to do outside the school? Kakema: [Foreign language 00:59:39] Kafelo: [Foreign language 00:59:58] this compound, I like as I say I like their music because I want to be artist.

Kakema: He wants to be a singer and hes going to be an artist. So they usually listen to music out of, when they were out of school. Kafelo: And I read a book. Kaema: You read books. Mike: Nice. Kanema: [Anet Tagul 01:00:35] what do you like? Anet: [Foreign language 01:00:35] Kanema: She want to walk while she is out of school, she preferred to work from place to place to enjoy herself, visiting different places. Mike: What does she do? Kanema: Walking from place to place, just walking. Mike: Just working, doing what? Kanema: Nothing, just walking. Mike: Oh, walking, I thought its working. Walking, walking is good. One thing Im not hearing is one of our images of Ethiopia is amazing runners. Kanema: Yes, a lot of runners here. Mike: Are there runners here? Speaker 3: [Foreign language 01:01:27] Speaker 2: [Foreign language 01:01:28] because I know theres one of them. She likes running, athlete. Kakema: You have information about Ethiopia. Ethiopia has the number of athletes. Mike: Whats that? Speaker 2: Athletes. Kakema: Runners. Mike: Yes. Speaker 2: Short, short runners, and maybe distance runners. Were not Kakema: Do you have the information about Ethiopian runners? They are famous. Mike: Im just saying, yes, the image is marathoners, 10,000 meters. Kakema: Yes [Foreign language 01:02:07] Mike: It means the house that youre training and just its good. And the weather, you have a weather [inaudible 01:02:22] Speaker 2: What else do you have to hear from them and we can finish. Mike: Whats that? Speaker 2: If you have another if you have another question. Mike: I have another one, what technologies would you like to see improved that would help you with your visual impairments? Kakema: [Foreign language 01:02:44] Mike: What do they hope for? Kakema: [Foreign language 01:02:45] Speaker 2: They want to have computers with the JAWS software because it helps them to learn by themselves. They want to have this JAWS computer, and the keyboard is for music. Mike: Keyboards for music? Speaker 2: For mobility probably canes. Male: Is there a problem, we havent.

Kanema: Cane is in this study for [crosstalk 01:02:58] Mike: What experience would you have with the internet and like what frustrations you have with the internet? Speaker: [Foreign language 01:02:58] They have experienced to use internet in the library. Speaker 3: It has forget some information, same product I think. Mike: What would happen if you had just unlimited, in America I have unlimited access in the internet, 24/7. What would happen to your lives if you had that opportunity all the time to have access to the internet and everything on there? Kanema: Thats nice. [Foreign language 01:02:58] Speaker 2: He said that if they get search broad access to internet they can communicate with the world and they can share experiences for their they can even access things for their own learning and at least to communicate to get information and so on. They are very much interested together. Kanema: Anymore to say? Mike: Do you guys have any question for me? Kanema: [Foreign language 01:06:06] Student: Whats your name? Mike: Mike. Student: Mike? Mike: Mike Walsh, W-A-L-S-H. Speaker 2: What do you help us in the future in those problems we already define he said. Do you have any support for us to help us on those problems we define, he said. Mike: Yes, basically what Im doing is Im kind of on mission this around the world just learning about various issues and the ides for support really comes from me reporting about it and so talking about it with people and educating people that are influencers as well starting with that point. The more I learned about where theres need in the world I can address that as much as I can and also get other people involved. Im very interested about the JAWS thing not being updated. I have people that are watching me from Silicon Valley which is a very technology oriented part of the United States where all the websites, all the top websites have been created. I would think something like JAWS is being updated should be very simple to help [inaudible 01:07:49] but I cant make any promises of course, but I definitely would look forward to telling people influence about what Im learning and then hopefully good stuff will happen from there. MY eyes are wide open even though Im exhausted, Im a [inaudible 01:08:08] three days here. Im recording and so Im excited to see what happens from what Ive learned and Kakema: [Foreign language 01:08:19] Speaker 2: Hes asking for the state you are from? Mike: Wisconsin. Do you know what state that is? Not everybody knows. Its called Green Bay Packers, you know? No? Im trying to think famous person, I cant think of anyone, [inaudible 01:09:17]. No? Kakema: North, south or? Mike: Whats that? Kakema: The area, is it northern or the southern?

Mike: More kind of south central, Madison is the capital. I live there. I live in Colorado a long time. Kakema: [Foreign language 01:09:17] Student: Whats you work. Kakema: Your job. Student; [Foreign language 01:09:49] Kakema: What do you like in this world? He said. Mike: What do I like in this world? Kakema: Yes. Mike: I mean Im travelling, Im enjoying that. Its exhausting meeting people but things that I love, its a good question. Movies, I like movies, adventure. I like, I love hiking. I love walking. Im a walker. Let me say Im dancing, dancing is what I love thats my art form. I love dancing, I feel like, Im learning my movement is heightened. Dancing, you can take anything from me. Dancing is a great activity. You dont need to see the dance, you really dont. Kakema: [Foreign language 01:10:45] What do you feel that you are blind? His question Mike: Whats that? Kakema: What do you feel being blind? Mike: What do I feel Im blind? Kakema: Yes. Mike: What do I feel about it, I guess for me its more, I my condition is so progressive that I just I lost for a lot of time to adjust and so I feel fine about it. I have fun with it and might more and more okay having a cane. It feels like an accessory. It feels kind of cool sometimes. Sometimes its very, very awkward but its my brother shares the same condition as me and hes a standup comedian and hes act is about being blind, a lot of blind jokes. We have fun with it. Its a unique thing so its interesting for other people to learn about it so were happy to share it and learn with people. Learn with others about whats going on. My brother is a standup comedian. Kakema: [Foreign language 01:12:01] Do you have any more question, please? The students, [Foreign language 01:12:29] What is your plan in the future, his question. Mike: My plan in the future? Right now, Im solely focused on this trip thats been scheduled in April 1st and Im just looking to just have a great time. Im looking to learn a lot, Im looking to share a lot, and be successful in those goals. My goals are, one, learn myself just be learn learned about whats going about me, whats going on around the world, and the second goal is to see and so amazing things that will be a different experience for me in the future. Three is just engaged with people. Im big on the social media. I really enjoy using that and playing with the platforms and engaging with others and bringing awareness to my issues, other peoples issues and just theres not a whole lot of discussion about blindness in America, theres so many other things that are talked about before and so Im just turning this in the park. Im waking people up, opening their eyes, no pun intended. Its kind of big. Kakema: [Foreign language 01:13:36] So this much is enough? Mike: Whats that? Kakema: This much is enough to Mike: Yes, Im good. Its been great. Kanema: Thank you.

Mike: Ill take picture. Ill [inaudible 01:14:21] to you all. Kakema: Okay, Ill take it all for you. Students: Thank you, we love you. Mike: All right, here. Kakema: Okay, no problem, okay, read. Once more, I already take pictures. Here, these are pictures of a Male: Why dont you take one more? Kakema: Yes, possibly. Mike: Yes, thats different. Its not going to help, its going to be like [crosstalk 01:15:19]. Kakema: Yes, this is Mike: Yes, here. This is going to help, right, and maybe it dont hit your parents though. Like Id used this actually, it will really help. I hit my head with stuff all the time. Im like why cant I jus t use this cane. Its like its got everything covered. Now, I think you hit me now. Anyway, they do need [inaudible 01:15:40] ahead. Okay, who is this? Male: That is Fernando. [Crosstalk/foreign language 01:15:51] Speaker 2: Shall we go? Okay, you say goodbye and lets go. Kakema: Mike see you and I hope youll return back [inaudible 01:17:51] Mike: Take some picture here, all right. Selfie, do you know what selfie is? All right, here can you take a picture for the three of us? Kakema: Yes, hes taking. Mike: All right, so just go, press that and make sure your thumb isnt in the picture. Make your fingers arent there. Its not easy, all right. [Foreign language 01:18:40] Speaker 2: Okay, ready, yes. Kakema: You can freely communicate to me, no problem. Why dont we give him a note [foreign language 01:19:13] Mike: Ill take one more picture over here. [Crosstalk 0 1:19:18] Mike: Great to meet you. Speaker 2: Lets go. So whats next? Mike: I dont know. Do you have gym here and stuff like that? Speaker 2: Yes. Mike: I grew up very active what sports what do a gym looks like for a bunch of blinds? What sports do they start off, what do you think? What sports are good for visual impairment? Speaker 2: Theres a [inaudible 01:24:43] about this sports activities to participate in developing country including Ethiopia but currently there is development like running and jumping and this athletics, there is football as well. These games are, now these games are so lets go this way, right way, down my office, your car is there. Mike: Whats a good picture you take around here like the school? Speaker 2: Okay, the sun is up there. Use the shed. I can take your picture now. Mike: All right.

Speaker 2: Its good here, okay. Wow, its a good picture. Shall I take you to our visually impaired teachers? You can speak with them how to teach in college being blind and they have so many experiences and you can discuss this on them, so I will Mike: Lets go. Speaker 2: Yes. [Foreign language 01:24:43] Hes Mike. You can introduce yourself. Mike: Hi, how are you doing? Beya: Hi, my name is Beya. Im one of the instructors in the college and theyre mostly visually impaired. Mike: Yes, I know your cane is short. If you had a longer one would that make things easier? Beya: This year? Speaker 2: Easier if you get the longer cane, this one. Mike: Or do you like shorter? Beya: This is not appropriate in fact, a bit longer than this one is better. Mike: You just prefer a shorter one. Beya: Of course, sometimes preferable but when I move in the campus not much problem, but when I leave the campus theyre a little bit taller than, no longer than this one is okay. Mike: No, I was just advised like this is too short compared to their advice like theyre already here and Im like that looks long. Mine is like Beya: Yes, professionally this is not advisable in fact that should be around here then but theres no alternative. We use what we get. Where are you from? Mike: Maybe you had visual impairment for the chunk of your life, whole life or? Beya: Where are you from by the way? Mike: Im from Wisconsin, United States. Beya: Just for visiting or? Mike: Yes, Im just kind of on this world tour with myself, going around the world. Im losing my sight and so people on the social media are telling me where to go. Ive been to some cool places. New Zealand, was the number one place to go and then Angkor Wat, and I saw some cool stuff and Im here because I had a friend who works for you and hes like you should come here. I can set up you up with charities and I know thats part of your mission, and I was like thats perfect. Otherwise, theres no way I could have come here because I dont had known anyone and like you know its a [inaudible 01:28:47] of travel. He set me with all the rides and everything and its great and Im learning so much and Im glad it worked out because thats Beya: Whats your impression then about our college state? Mike: About the college? Beya: Yes. Mike: Compared to everything else Ive seen its organized. You guys are accomplishing things, youre moving forward and I see little things where I can maybe put a dentine like how but I was hearing about the JAWS like stuff and like youre out of date and so yes, my impression is you know I mean it seems to be progress going on here and having people, having kids, and it looks beautiful I havent seen too much of the campus yet but I mean I love trees.

Beya: What about this coordination with elementary school or school for the blind here. We have from your experience of your country, is this something you have, something in your country Mike: So we have something like this? Yes. Im actually not a 100% sure whats Im sure there are. America has resources at the Yin Yang and so Im sure they have this too. I know more about schools of deaf than blind in America. Beya: Do you know Hadley School for the Blind? Mike: Whats that? Beya: Hadley, Hadley School for the Blind. Mike: Have I? Beya: Hadley. Mike: Hadley, is that America? Okay. Beya: Yes, in America. I do have correspondence with them. Mike: Where is it? Beya: It is in Boston, I think. Mike: Boston, yes. Theres a school of deaf in Boston too that maybe Ive been there. Its in Northampton, Massachusetts but yes. I tried to ask this question as much as possible so ... I have a condition where Im losing my sight so Im dealing with that on more so level and just kind of on a research level just like its kind of interesting to me in some ways but there are points where Im just frustrated too and I cant drive anymore. I used to be able to do these things. What advice would you have for me as far as me dealing with in the future? Its rare but I might go completely blind. Beya: Do you have problem your sight or? Mike: Yes. What my sight right now is that every retinitis pigmentosa, so the retinas of my eyes are like, is a disease thats degenerating. Its very progressive in its nature, but slow progression but like lights are very sensitive to me, super sensitive and the dark is darker. Everything at night is darker for me. Anywhere I go, a restaurant, its like super dark. I look through my iPhone now to look at things because its a better picture. Beya: Just to be very much careful and to have ahead of time preparation, if you introduce yourself with JAWS usage and keyboard if you be a keyboard user on computer and then if again they develop the use of braille this maybe something very gods I think, if you introduce yourself with the braille usage. Mike: Braille, yes. I havent done that at all. That scares Beya: Again, the JAWS, JAWS is very much preferable. Its available wherever you go. Braille is by now getting shortage because the fact that its being closed, they are not much interested in producing braille or slate and stylus. They are more interested in producing JAWS because it is possible to get to computer wherever you go. If you develop these kinds of activities, these kinds of Mike: Do you think braille is important for me? Beya: Braille is very much important because slate and stylus is special because these are portable and it is also cheaper than every technology materials so Mike: Yes, but like if I have access to lets just say money isn't an issue like when would braille be if I have JAWS, if I have something always telling me whats on the screen or when

Im out and about like when you see it on the elevator? You need to know what number youre pressing, what elevator floor, I guess that could be a thing Beya: This JAWS and the other related technology issues are not that much replaceable with slate and the stylus. Slate and stylus is very much preferable because in the first place it is cheaper, secondly, sometimes you may miss what the JAWS says but when you read through it over your finger you never miss anybody with it. Mike: You dont miss a thing. Beya: Yes. Even sometimes when you Mike: I can go back. Beya: Yes, when you are in doubt what JAWS says if you have braille display with the combination of the computer there is this braille display, somewhat you carry it by your finger with connection with the computer that time you can identify something you missed with listening to the JAWS. Using braille top [shell 01:34:15] materials is preferable than that of JAWS. Mike: How long does it take to learn braille? Beya: Sorry? Mike: For some of who doesnt know braille at all how long would that process be learning it. Beya: If youre not aware of the dots whatever using the material, I mean the JAWs is all right but Mike: No, like braille, how long would that take? Speaker 2: How to learn braille. Beya: How to learn? Mike: Yes, how long? Beya: How long, it depends on the activity of the individual. For example for me when I was a kid and they started learning it took me three days only. Mike: Three days of learning all braille? Beya: To finish in English the dots and reading and writing, all things it maybe a week or something, it depends on the activity of the individuals but for me I remember it was only for three days that I took to master. Mike: Really learn braille. Beya: Yes. Mike: Interesting. Beya: Thats it. Mike: It looks hard, I dont know. Like what am I doing, I mean obviously like any language is tough. Beya: [Foreign language 01:35:21] Male: Hi, somebody is greeting you. Mike: How are you? Male: I guess you are investigating some of the Mike: Whats that? Male: I guess you are investigating the visual impaired people. Mike: Yes, so Im investigating, huh, undercover. Whats going on here? Male: It is very vulnerable thing, but interesting. Mike: Yes, I know. Im learning. Im like

Male: Because you are Mike: Im a bit exhausted [inaudible 01:35:59] its adrenaline, Im on adrenaline for a while. Male: It is the one thing that is natural occurrence but you want to have some means to alleviate such problem as social supporters and then some being as a individuals who has had [inaudible 01:36:09] this compound regarding some of their challenges in visually impaired people. Mike: Yes, one of the unique talents that visually impaired people has. Male: Yes, very psychological confidence and very social cooperation means of alleviation to overcome these much problems and also what did [inaudible 01:36:47] are regarded to do such a voluntary thing is within [inaudible 01:36:53] people and also taking the different social action in order to [inaudible 01:37:01] is their means of, their livelihood is in their childhood is I think is you are a newcomer for this campus I think. Mike: Yes, its my first time here. Male: Your first time. Mike: Yes, first time in Ethiopia. Male: First time to come to Ethiopia and also visit this compound. Mike: All right. Male: Y1ou did take [inaudible 01:37:30] Mike: I didnt take a what? Male: You didnt take any sort of coffee, Ethiopian coffee? Mike: No coffee this morning. I had coffee yesterday, I had it made for me. It was a ceremony. I was like, wow. Make: Just you didnt have any adaptation to drink coffee. Mike: I had a coffee and I had shot and I had wine yesterday. It was a coffee ceremony and my first cup of coffee in my entire life in Ethiopia. I mean if Im going to do it anywhere Im doing it in Ethiopia. Male: Thats regardless of this [inaudible 01:38:02]. Do you want to do prolong your plan or your [inaudible 01:38:02]? Mike: Yes, I mean my plan is Im traveling around the world. Im on this campaign so Im losing my own sight and so Im using social media to get people to vote where I go, just kind of this simple concept and then raise awareness as to what Im going through and what the issues are out there and have a healthy discussion about it. Theres a lot of different issues that are discussed in America about how its used and blindness is not one of them. Its very interesting one. Seeing is our number one sense, I mean. You got your seeing, you got your hearing, you touch, taste, whats the fifth sense? See, touch, hearing, taste five senses Male: Sense of organs. Mike: What? Male: Is that the sense organs, the five sense organs. Mike: Yes, your seeing, like if you want to dilute now if theres one you dont want to lose I think its vision. I just I would say vision because from them you can see everything. I dont know but Speaker 2: Mike, lets go. Mike: All right. Male: Thank you.

Mike: Whats your name? Male: My name is [foreign language 01:39:27]. Im one of the proponent who is steady about around is the challenges of education and figure the people in thins compound. Im writing a different process and methods program. Thank you. Mike: Thank you. Male: Have a nice time. Speaker 2: You learn so many thing and you get also the advices on the Mike: Is that my right, yes. Where is he? Speaker 2: Your driver? Mike: Yes. Speaker 2: Hes in the car. Mike: Hes here. Speaker 2: Saw him? Mike: Yes, thats his car? Speaker 2: Yes, in the car. Mike: Hes in the car. yes, I mean if I want to make my own personal donation how am I going to do that. I dont have that money right now but banking I can email her and go from there. Speaker 2: Yes, you can email. In most cases we are very much interested with these materials like cane and Mike: Yes, thats something, defiantly we will its very interesting Speaker 2: If you get access even these tape recorders because visually impaired students are very [inaudible 01:40:50] to learn. They forget why theyre here so they have to record that here now and then and to remind them and to stay there as well. if you get access and if you get the chances to support that this I really an opportunity. Mike: You said the recorders? Speaker 2: Tape recorders, Walkman tape recorders. Its not available in the market in Ethiopia. We have been searching for long time. Mike: Yes, Walkman tape, thats like a very ancient thing. Speaker 2: Yes. Mike: Where do those things go? They just go to the trash. Male: I have different apoiutnemtn, I am happy if I get chance to have with you tea or coffee but Mike: No, its all right. Im good. Its been awesome. Im overwhelmed and Male: We will contact, you stay here in Ethiopia for long time? Mike: No, Im leaving tomorrow. Male: Tomorrow, sure? Mike: Yes, its been crazy but Ill send a message to the email and everything I talked about in report so Id go from there. Male: Have a nice time, God bless you. Mike: Yes, Im [inaudible 01:42:03] tomorrow. Male: All right, bye. Mike: Thank you. Hello? Male: Hello Mike.

Mike: Oh, boy! Technology