Brief information about life and activities of
visually impaired people in Latvia

More than 7000 residents of Latvia are registered as people with severe visual impairment. Many of them – about 3500 – are united by

Latvian Society of the Blind (LSB)
which is the only nongovernmental organization of people with visual impairments in Latvia. Latvian Society of the Blind was founded in 1926. Its executive institution is Central Board.

Chairman - Mr Egons Zarins.
Address: Pales 14/1, Riga, LV-1024, Latvia
Tel./fax: 371-7-6532607
E-mail: lnbcv@e-apollo.lv

Goals and activities of LSB:

1) Cooperates with parliament, government, local institutions and nongovernmental organizations in order to promote solution of problems, which concern visually impaired people,

2) Encourages awareness-raising in public of causes and consequences of blindness, emphasizing possibilities and ways of overcoming difficulties and achieving success in education, professional career, social and private life,

3) Advances occupational training, rehabilitation and integration, favors exercising of human rights in accordance with United Nations' Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities for People with Disabilities,

4) Provides assistance to obtain assistive devices such as white canes, magnifiers, talking watches, audio cassette players, etc.

Structure:

LSB consists of 12 structural units – territorial (regional) organizations as well as Liepaja Society of the Blind and Tukums Society of the Blind which work in all regions of country, further they are divided in local organizations.

LSB territorial organizations:

1) Collaborate with local authorities and institutions in order to provide the best possible ways to improve quality of life for people with partial or total sight loss.

2) Provide basic rehabilitation for visually impaired persons in places of their residence,

3) Collect information about specific needs of their members, distribute and deliver assistive devices according to costumers' choice,

4) Inform children in preschool age and give advices to their parents about accessible medical aid and education facilities etc..

Finances

From 1950's till beginning of 1990's LSB was able to sustain itself financially because of its four profitable enterprises. Goods manufactured by these enterprises – brushes, electrical appliances, metal caps for preserving food in jars and so on – found market not only in Latvia but also in former Soviet Union. But now market has dramatically decreased, and currently they can sell only 2 percent of what was sold twelve years before. That is the reason why LSB is forced to rely mostly on government's financial assignations for rehabilitation programmes and for procurement of assistive devices. LSB isn't able to give to members such a financial support as it was able to allocate in past.

Rehabilitation Center of Latvian Society of the Blind

LSB Rehabilitation Center is the only one in Latvia which deals specifically with rehabilitation and vocational training of persons after sight loss. It was established in 1993.

Address: Pales Street 14/14, Riga, LV-1024, Latvia
Tel.: 371-7-6532324
Tel./Fax: 371-7-6531602
E-mail: lnbrc@ml.lv

During last years understanding of importance of rehabilitation among visually impaired has positively changed. One reason of shift in attitude is good quality of services and individual approach towards every person's needs. Another reason may be sharp decrease of number of workplaces in four LSB sheltered enterprises, which provided employment for everybody who wanted to work.

Rehabilitation center and its 12 territorial rehabilitation day centers all over Latvia offers for blind and partially sighted  people basic social rehabilitation services. In cooperation with Latvian State Employment service occupational training for persons in working age is organized.

Social rehabilitation includes mobility training, Braille reading and writing, selfservice skills, housekeeping, cooking etc.., in 2008 there are 2 programmes - 50 and 400 hours per person. 

Earlier within the framework of occupational training person could learn or improve skills in two professions: making of wickerworks and massage.

Approximately 75 percent of 61 trainee who have learnt wickerwork making, have found their places in the labor market working mainly as self-employed craftsmen. After finishing training courses many of 61  masseurs successfully continue to work in this profession of their choice.

Picture: One of students with her wicker works

Owing to generous support of private sponsors – Soros Foundation and Queen Juliana Foundation – and partly with assistance of government, a computer class was created in Rehabilitation Center in 1998. Currently there are ten training places there – four for totally blind persons and six for partially sighted. Braille line, synthesized speech or magnified screen allows trainee to access information. It's possible to enable person to obtain necessary information by operating the Internet.

Picture: getting information in accessible - Braille, large print or sound - formats is one of possibilities offered by LSB Rehabilitation Center

Museum of Latvian Society of the Blind

The museum was founded in 1986. It contains more than 4500 exhibits. Documents from archives, books, photos, memorial things are meant to reflect important events from life of blind people and their organization from 1860’s till our days.

  
  Indrikis the Blind (1783-1828) -
the first Latvian poet whose poems were published in Latvian language

 

Magazine «ROSME» is published in Braille and large print, as well as other information provided by LSB Information Service «BRAILINFORM».
Address: Pales 14/1, LV-1024, Riga, Latvia.
Tel.: 371-7-6533887.

 

There are also other organizations and institutions dealing with problems of visually impaired people.

 

Education for visually impaired children is provided by
STRAZDUMUIZHA BOARDING SCHOOL - DEVELOPMENT CENTER FOR BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED CHILDREN
which is the only special establishment of education for blind children. Integration process in the mainstream schools has just begun.
Address: Juglas 14a, LV-1024, Riga, Latvia
Tel.: 371-7-6532041
e-mail: strazdis@acad.lanet.lv
www: http://www.strazduskola.lv/en/

 

Students of Strazdumuizha boarding school
celebrating 120th anniversary of their school

 

RETIREMENT HOME FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED
provides accommodation and support for people in their old age.
Address: Pales 12, LV-1024, Riga, Latvia
Tel.: 371-7-6522801

 

LATVIAN LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND
delivers reading materials in Braille as well as produces talking books in cassettes and CDs.
Address: Juglas 14, LV-1024, Riga, Latvia
Tel.: 371-7-6531748
www: http://www.neredzigobiblioteka.lv

 

LATVIAN BLIND SPORTS UNION
organizes competitions and tournaments for visually impaired athletes, has an important role in enabling the young people to spend their leisure time in active and creative way.
Address: Pales 14/1, LV-1024, Riga, Latvia
Tel.: 371-7-6533895

Goalball is one of popular sports games for the blind

If you need any further information, please, contact us:

LSB Rehabilitation Center
Address: Pales 14/14, Riga LV-1024, Latvia;
Tel.: 371-7-532324,
Fax: 371-7-531602;
e-mail: lnbrc@ml.lv

We will be grateful for your donation!
Central Board of Latvian Society of the Blind
account nr.: LV06 UNLA 0034 1025 3310 0
bank: SEB Vidzemes priekšpils. fil.
bank code: UNLALV2X034

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Latvijas Neredzīgo biedrība
Adrese:  Rīga, Pāles 14/1 LV-1024
Tālrunis/fakss:   67532607
E-mail : lnbcv@e-apollo.lv

PROJECT SUPPORTED BY SOROS FOUNDATION LATVIA

Last modified:15 Aug 2009