Sat Jan 04 03:14:15 UTC 2025: ## Kerala Federation of the Blind Provides Free Braille Calendars

**Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala –** The Kerala Federation of the Blind (KFB) is distributing free Braille calendars to visually impaired individuals across Kerala. Using state-of-the-art printing presses, the KFB produces these calendars, a significant step towards improving accessibility for the visually challenged community.

The initiative, launched last year, provides 2025 and 2024 Malayalam Braille calendars. The calendars are printed on specialized presses capable of embossing the raised dots of Braille onto heavy-duty paper. Around 700 people received calendars in 2023.

KFB President Habeeb C highlighted the importance of calendars, emphasizing their utility even in the digital age. He explained that Braille is a crucial skill for the visually impaired, similar to reading and writing for sighted individuals. The KFB, established in 1967 and boasting nearly 4,000 members, has a long history of advocating for the visually impaired, including printing Braille textbooks for schools since the 1980s.

The printing presses were procured with assistance from the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The KFB also printed over 100,000 Braille ballot papers for the 2024 general elections.

While celebrating the advancements in assistive technology, such as screen readers and Braille menus in some businesses, KFB Vice President Krishnan M stressed the need for broader structural accessibility, beyond Braille. He pointed to the lack of tactile and auditory aids in public spaces, advocating for inclusive design.

The free Braille calendars can be obtained by contacting the KFB via email at kfbtvm@gmail.com, providing contact information and a Unique Disability ID number. The initiative underscores the KFB’s ongoing commitment to empowering the visually impaired community in Kerala.

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