P REP A RI N G T O G I V E SI G H T

A lot of persons wonder how could a blind women teach someone how to read what she did was ask my Aunt to write the letters of the alphabet on cardboard and ask my Aunt to teach me the letters...... An effervescent personality, outspoken, determined and a passion to succeed these are the words to describe Khohane Blake, a nal year Optometry student at the University of Guyana. The journey to this point has not always been a smooth one. Born in the rural community of New Market in the Southern Parish of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, Khohanes story is one of overcoming just about every obstacle-and there were many. She grew up in an extended family, with her mother being the sole provider, however she was surrounded by a brother, grandparents, her aunt and cousins. There was one thing that made her family unique in the quiet community, Khohanes mother, Racquel Adams was blind.

RACQUEL ADAMS

KHOHANE - 9 MONTHS

ARVEL GRANT (CEO - CCB) AND KHOHANE

I dont know what its like to see my mother with sight. She got blind when I was about 3, I have one very faded memory of her with sight, I can recall seeing her coming through the gate with a bag. Her blindness did not bother us, my mother was our sole caretaker and giver and she was like any other mother, she cooked, washed, cleaned and ironed She was our sole caretaker and giver, she was like any other mother, she cooked, washed, cleaned and ironed.

A lot of persons wondered how could a a woman who is blind teach someone how to read what she did was ask my Aunt to write the letters of the alphabet on cardboard and ask my aunt to teach me the letters. Then my Mother would say, when you see words spell them. So if I saw C-AT I would was ask Mommy what is this word - she would tell me its CAT and said anywhere you go in the world and see C-A-T, its still cat. With that foundation, by the age of six, I was reading like a Grade Three student Khohanes childhood was pretty normal, but not everyone saw it that Throughout her early years in school, Khohane's mother was way, there were those who were constantly by her side. surprised that Racquel Adams mastered a multitude of tasks, from She was there along the way, when we gardening to cooking. If we came in had to study, she was sit up with us and come in with snacks in the middle of the one evening and there was no food we would wonder what was wrong, because night she would always cook, and if she had to At age 12 she passed the Common Entrance - an examination taken by go somewhere she would make sure children to transition from Primary there was food it was a very normal to Secondary School. life. My mother was there along the way, when we had to study she would sit up Racquel Adams was born fully with us like any other mother she sighted but a mysterious illness would come with snacks in the middle robbed her of her vision. of the night. She woke up one morning and couldnt see the light bulb, she went to Mothers death the Ophthalmologist and he gave her a letter to go to the Cornwall Regional While in High School as Khohane Hospital (in western Jamaica), but by prepared to sit exams, her mother the end of the day she lost complete died from a mysterious illness. sight in one eye, and the following week, Khohane was 17. the vision in the other eye went away. I have an Aunt who has always been She spent six months in Hospital and very supportive she took us in - my everyone tried to nd out what was brother and I. She became our second wrong . said Khohane mother. She pushed and encouraged me Despite the unexpected twist of fate saying there was no way she would in the life of Racquel Adams, watch me fail. At the end of the school nothing stopped her. With her year I passed all of my courses. determination, she even taught a young Khohane to read and by age Have successfully completed High 6, Khohane's reading ability School, a decision need to be made surpassed those her age. concerning her future but Khohane had no interest in returning to

school and took a year off and worked. So for the whole year I worked I found a job in an Auto Shop. So now I know a lot about auto parts! University of the West Indies To Khohanes reluctance, her Aunt insisted that discontinuing her education was not an option. As a result applications were sent off to Colleges across the island. I said Auntie I dont think this is very feasible - I didnt want to be too dependent on you or anyone else. But she insisted that I apply to UWI (University of the West Indies). Do you know what happened ? I got through to UWI , but they didnt call me to say I was accepted , they called her! I will never forget, I was at work when my Aunt called and told me to pack my bags because we were going to Kingston! Khohane moved onto the Mona Campus of the University of the West Indies as a student of Economics but the road ahead was far from easy. The lack of funds took a toll on her and in her second year, she was faced with one of the hardest decisions of her life when she walked away from the University into an unknown future. It was so very very hard for my Aunt to support me nancially. I did not know what was ahead but I told her that I would do something that would make her proud and me proud and my mother proud

At this turning point in her life, the Caribbean Council for the Blind (CCB), came into the picture. As I contemplated my future, I remembered that my mother was rehabilitated by this lady by the name of Audryln Lewis. I contacted her and she encouraged me to tell CCB my story. So I wrote a letter to the CEO Mr. Arvel Grant and almost immediately I got a response! Mr. Grant asked me what I wanted to do, I told him I wanted to do something in Health, I really wasnt interested in Economics. He asked if I was interested in the Refractionist Course at the University of Guyana and I said okay and jumped at the opportunity! The University of Guyana Khohane now saw the light at the end of a long dark tunnel and with great anticipation left for Guyana. I came and did it and I liked it, because I liked it I did well in it, after that he offered me a scholarship to do Optometry, he told me it was a lot more advanced. And I really like it, the work is hard, it is not easy but I put extra effort in it . So here I am Another signicant development took place while in Guyana in that she suddenly realized how very special her mother was I realized that it wasnt easy for someone who was visually impaired to care for small children. I realized her drive and how special she was. Now a nal year Optometry sSudent, she is proud of what she has achieved. My mother would be so proud of us, not just me but my brother and a young cousin she helped to bring up . She would be so proud of us, at times we would sit and say, only if mommy was here to see us now. We know she would be so happy, nothing would steal her joy. As Khohane prepares for the future shes thankful to the Caribbean Council for the Blind.

Im happy I told them my story. When I told them , I got a scholarship to do

what I want to do,not just anything, but to help someone who is visually impaired.Somebody who will need this service and will probably be a mother to a child or a brother or a sister and it could make a difference in their lives,like how they (CCB) made a difference in my life. From the rural community of New Market in Jamaica, to the halls of the University of Guyana, Khohane Blake is on a mission, one of helping the Caribbean Council for the Blind to fulll its mandate of Preventing blindiness and visual impairment while restoring sight and creating opportunities for persons whose sight cannot be restored.

Preparing to give sight (video)

http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=1CkmftfWfO4