YUMA,Ariz.-
“It’s frightening to wake up and your world is dark,” said Rage Braveheart.
That’s what happened to Braveheart six years ago when she was forced to live a different life, one of blindness.
“Kinda woke up in the bed and didn’t realize my eyes was open. I didn’t know if i was laying at the head or the foot. It was frightening,” said Braveheart.
Braveheart found new challenges daily from once simple things, like walking around or picking out what to wear.
“You go to the doctor and you know you are looking for help and they tell you that there is nothing that they can do for you and you have to walk out of the door you know feeling open air. You don’t get a cane,” said Braveheart.
Braveheart’s not alone, there are 284 million visually impaired people across the world according to the World Health Organization.
“You need to know that there is a place that can teach you how to walk. Teach you how to not bump into walls. They can teach you how to cook. They can teach you how to use a phone,” said Braveheart.
The Southern Arizona Association for the visually impaired works with the newly blind for more than 50 years. They help those whose world turned dark to try and find a new form of light.
“Well once they get referred to us at Saavi. We are a school to help them obtain the skills that they need to be able to find a job in the field that they are looking to find a job in. So we are helping them become more marketable,” Saavi Instructor Julio Saavedra said.
Students learn braille, new skills to use a computer and how to get to and from their destination.
For more information on Saavi or if you would like to volunteer click here.