REDEMPTION INTERNATIONAL FOR THE BLIND CORPORATE PROFILE: REDEMPTION INTERNATIONAL FOR THE BLIND RIFTB Corporate profile Redemption International For The Blind is an independent registered, non-government and non profit-making civil society organization based in Portugal, NIF: 515204056, and Nigeria, Registration No: CAC/R C/NO 158658. Vision: “Hope for the Blind, smiles on their faces.” Mission: “Restoring honour and dignity to the Blind.” Motto: “Inclusive, Accessible World.! Membership Membership of Redemption International For the Blind shall be open to all interested Blind and Visually Impaired individuals irrespective of race, colour, class, sex, creed, ethnic origin and political affiliations, who are ready to volunteer their ideas, time and resources for the benefit of the blind community world wide. However, every applicant shall fill a membership application form, sign a member’s code of ethics in addition to pledging to accept the policies, aims and objectives of the organization as duly laid down or as shall be adopted from time to time at a public or specially organized induction ceremony by the appropriate organ. Goal Our goal is to contribute in improving the digital, educational and living standards of the blind by fighting for an inclusive, accessible society, through community mobilization, capacity building, advocacy & strengthening of institutions, at the local and international level. Strategy Our strategy hinges on a need based and right based approach to ascertain the problem with community involvement, mobilization of local resources with a helping hand from donor agencies, Philanthropists and corporate companies. Services we offer: 1. Braille transcription of textbooks, magazines and study materials; 2. Audio recording services; 3. Conversion of published works into electronic formats; 4. Teaching the Blind and the Visually Impaired how to read and write braille; 5. Vocational training; 6. Mobility training and orientation; 7. Rehabilitation; 8. Counselling services; 9. Learning to use ICT, including smart phones, internet, ETC; 10. Independent living. Thematic Areas of Work: 1. Education 2. Technology 3. Health 4. Agriculture 5. Democracy 6. Recreation 7. Women and girls empowerment 8. Youth empowerment 9. Advocacy and free legal aid 10. Emergency response and preparedness Overall Objective Our overall development objective is enhanced ability of the blind to tackle their own educational, economic, social and technological difficulties for sustainable development. 1. Empowering people who are blind and visually impaired economically through education, employment, entrepreneurship and business ideas so that they can become employable, or autonomous and self-sustaining. 2. Developing services and activities aimed at the full promotion of blind and visually impaired people, the family and the community, encouraging their active participation, encouraging volunteering and giving priority to networking with local, national and international partners. 3. Promoting effective mentoring services, professional development, leadership training and political representation of the visually impaired and the blind in a participatory democracy. 4. Creating a recreational facility within our areas of jurisdiction where blind and visually impaired people can congregate in the community for relaxation, to help relieve them from depression and loneliness. 5. Providing advisory services to companies and institutions employing blind and visually impaired persons with regard to technological adaptations. 6. Promoting sports activities among the blind and the visually impaired. 7. Promoting braille reading competition among the blind and the visually impaired people, so that braille does not go extinguished. 8. Providing help to blind and visually impaired people across Nigeria in situations of war. 9. Advocating and speaking for blind and visually impaired people in Nigeria in all matters pertaining to their human rights and welfare. 10. Relentlessly working towards the educational and economic empowerment of the blind and visually impaired girl child 11. To establish an online resource centre aimed at facilitating the blind and local level institutions, through information, education and communication. 12. To develop effective linkages with government line agencies, nongovernment organizations, and donor agencies working for collective development. 13. human resource development and training aimed at skill enhancement and knowledge in order to ensure better inclusion of the blind in participatory development programmes. 14. Implementation of women welfare and development programmes aimed at socio-economic empowerment through their participation in all developmental programmes. 15. Organizing issue-specific and objective-oriented campaigns, building social pressure to influence decision-making at national and international levels in favour of blind and partially sighted in the society. What we do Influenced by the new development paradigm which puts people before things, we follow a participatory approach in every sphere of our work. The knowledge, abilities and skills of the blind are valued and respected, and there is confidence that blind people are capable of self-reliant when rightly steered. On a practical level, the fundamental thrust of this approach is decentralization and empowerment. For a group of people to be able to work for their own development and reduce their dependency, there is a need for full involvement at all stages of the development cycle. The participation of communities in identification, planning, management, implementation and evaluation of development agenda is a key factor in our work. Human resource development is an essential part of our development work. This means ensuring that blind people are trained and skilled, as well as organized, to maximize their potential to take hold of their own destiny and development. Approach We use a participatory, self-help, self-sustainable approach through blind people’s involvement and formation of volunteer groups within our areas of jurisdiction. Philosophy Sustainable development is a dynamic process posing various needs at different phases of time. These require continuous interventions based on designed frameworks that incorporate the requirements projected by the societies and with the help of the communities by strategizing for public-private partnership. Scope of Work: Progressively across our entire areas of jurisdiction, and in line with the highlighted thematic areas above. Organizational Values 1. TRUE: Ensuring transparency at all levels of our work 2. PROFICIENCY : Providing creative expertise and strong commitment 3. SOLIDARITY: Within our NGO and with the people we aim to support 4. JUSTICE: Within our NGO as well as in society 5. INTEGRITY To act according to the values we wish to promote 6. FLEXIBILITY: Showing our willingness to change and learn Guiding Principles: The following guiding principles direct us in implementation of our programmes: 1. Making efforts to achieve highest quality standards 2. Promoting a culture of innovation and creativity 3. Enhancing networking and coordination 4. Facing challenges Professional Strength 1. Highly qualified, experienced and devoted professionals and board members and staff; 2. Adaptability to cope up and meet the requirements of diverse socio cultural environment 3. Extensive network to undertake initiatives 4. Availability of state-of-the-art modern technologies and tools 5. Strong partnerships for undertaking innovative initiatives Advocacy: we genuinely believe in advocacy and therefore the management always strongly advocates for the issues related to blindness. For achieving this objective. through our strong advocacy, we plan to approach the line departments of various Governments, NGOs, CBOs, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and we have always promoted the right based approach and support the use of dialogue as an important tool for achieving inclusion. Service delivery: We are staunch believer in a very strong and efficient service delivery in the fields of education, economic empowerment and vocational training. For this purpose, RIFTB management plans to deliver services to blind people in a transparent manner taking care of quantity and quality. Net Working: RIFTB aims at promoting the networking with other NGOs, CBOs, CSOs, media groups and concerned stakeholders for achieving the goal of inclusion of blind people in sustainable development. Child Protection Under this theme RIFTB focuses on holistic development of blind children, protection and rights. The following interventions are planned over the time: 1. Child rights education and protection awareness at different levels and different stakeholders. 2. Development of safe learning places for children at schools, hospitals, and community centers. 3. Children confidence building programs, walks, sessions, campaigns, and trainings. 4. Development of children groups and developing leadership skills in them. Contact us Our Address: Portugal: Rua Maria Amalia Vaz Carvalho, 23 1DT, Brandoa, 2650-190, Amadora, Portugal. Nigeria: F51 Shaka Zone, Jos, Plateau State. E-Mail: Riftb.riftb@gmail.com Website: https://riftb.org https://riftb.com Tel: +351934799647 +2348067038881