Thirty members of Bahrain’s blind and visually impaired population are being helped to compete in the job market by Batelco. In partnership with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, the Friendship Society for the Blind and the University of Bahrain, Batelco is equipping blind people with skills to work in the fast-growing business area of customer service call-centers.
Four people per month are being trained in telephone skills, customer care and a specialist computer system that uses Braille, by which people read using touch. This advanced Braille technology allows students access to vast computerized records on a company’s customers.
The Batelco project team was headed by Ali Al Kooheji and included training officers Yousef Buhassan and Wedad Mubarak. The team also worked with the call agent of the King’s office Juma Ahmed, an expert in the technology and Isam Amir of the University of Bahrain.
With the structure of the course agreed, Batelco then searched far and wide for the right Braille computer interface, eventually importing four units from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at a cost of 10,000 Bahraini dinars ($26,525). Once students complete the four-week training program, they will be enabled for employment and will be helped by the Ministry of Labour to find suitable positions. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
