Jennifer Daulat-Araujo opening doors for persons with disabilities

Today, over one billion people, or approximately 15 percent of the world's population, live with some form of disability and often face barriers to participation in all aspects of society.

The result is that persons with disabilities do not have equal access to society or services, including education, employment, health care, transportation, political participation or justice.

This year the theme chosen by the UN is “Removing barriers to create an inclusive and accessible society for all.”

Jennifer Daulat-Araujo is a visually impaired individual who has been working tirelessly to remove barriers faced by physically and visually-challenged persons in Trinidad and Tobago. Jennifer Daulat, the last of six children, of Mr and Mrs Jagdeo Daulat (both deceased ),was born in Pasea Village, Tunapuna in 1957. Her parents were gardeners who sold their produce in the Tunapuna Market on Sundays.

She was afflicted with glaucoma from birth. Partially sighted, she attended Tunapuna Hindu Primary School and St Charles Girls’ High School for three years. At age 15 was sent to Winnipeg, Canada to seek medical attention for her eyes. In Canada she underwent several eye operations, but all proved unsuccessful. With failing vision and a strong desire to obtain a secondary school education, Daulat was rehabilitated in braille, typing, daily living skills and mobility and orientation at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.

Upon completion of the rehabilitation course, she entered an integration programme at a regular high school (Daniel Mc Intyre Collegiate) in Winnipeg where she obtained her secondary school diploma.

At age 19, completely blind, Daulat enrolled at the University of Winnipeg, where she studied psychology and sociology. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a double major in Psychology and Sociology in 1981. She then underwent further training and was assessed in Rehabilitation Teaching of the Blind at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.

She returned to Trinidad and found employment in 1985 at the Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association (TTBWA). She started her working career delivering lectures to schools and organisations on blindness awareness. Over the years, with added responsibilities, she has progressed to the post of welfare officer. She also acted as executive officer at the TTBWA from August 2009 to January 2011.

Through the National Council for the Blind Daulat-Araujo was able to obtain certification in courses for the blind and visually impaired in Trinidad and Tobago including National Braille Examination, Crafts, (sea-grass, basketry and chair-caning ), and Computer Literacy.

She also piloted other programmes for the blind and visually-challenged – cooking for the blind and visually challenged, vision screening to the public, lectures on blindness awareness and displays at malls. She gives guest-lectures to optometrist students at UWI, St Augustine when called upon.

Daulat-Araujo is the author of two books – Windows to the World of the Blind and Braille Manual for the Sighted. Both of these books are used as reference books by Optometrist students at University of the West Indies (St Augustine).

She also wrote a weekly column titled “Insight” in Newsday from 1996 to 2009. In all, she wrote and caused to be published over 300 articles, championing the cause of the visually and physically challenged community. Many of her suggestions and recommendations have served to influence national policy.

For her tireless and selfless efforts for the betterment of the blind and visually-impaired community, Daulat-Araujo has received recognition from several major organisations. These include the Trincity Lions Club, The National Council of Voluntary Associations for Child Care, the Caribbean Council for the Blind – “James Alves Outstanding Achiever Award.” This year, she was awarded the Humming Bird Medal ( Silver ) by the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. In November, 2012, her Alma Mater, St Charles High School, Tunapuna, recognised her for generous sponsorship of students at the school over the past five years.

“As we join with many people in countries all over the globe to observe “International Day for Persons with Disabilities”, I salute all persons with disabilities in Trinidad and Tobago and urge everyone to set their goals and make every effort to reach those goals. Though life may be a continuous challenge for persons with disabilities, “Where there is a will, there is always a way” and we all have to seek that way in achieving any goal,” she said.