Roshni, thank you very, very much for your offer and your introduction to Sutish Sharma. Do you have some web sites you can point me to?

Next, all of us like to beat our own drum, and I am no exception. I’d like to think our annual “voyage” around the globe showcasing those doing exceptional work advancing access to education is like no other in the education arena.

Our challenges are several, including the fact that we do this entirely with volunteers will to not “just” to be showcased but also to help with the production itself. I would like to take you up on your offer for assistance in London, with something along these lines —

We have always tried to open the event with a big name keynoter and/or a collection of voices from around the world. During several parts of the 24 hour “voyage”, we broadcast that opening.

This being our tenth year, what I am thinking about is to collect as many one minute “voices” as we can - from those who have been with us in the past and those, like you who have not been with us. As Tom Sawyer once commented: “I don’t have time for a short letter so I will write a long one”….a one minute recording is very, very, very hard…takes lots of thinking and writing and pre-recording. But it carries more power than anything longer, especially if stitched together “appropriately”. How do you boil down that long and lovely text message from Roshni, (now posted here)

in sixty seconds?

How do you assemble it with others in the same vein?

How do you “push” that audio into various real time delivery streams - telephone room? Skype? talkingcommunities? conventional radio?

How do you mix it with real time comments?

How do you hyper link it well in advance of the event? And advertise it?

Blogs are wonderful places to meet and post comments and point others to. So I will post this and yours, below, in the comment section of our blog at the above page.

I still like email and hope to hear from all of you by email. But I would encourage visits to the blog and thoughts and imaginative thoughts on how to make the opening a good one? and how to make stops in South Asia the “in depth” part of that opening?

At 8:43 AM +0000 7/4/06, roshni hafeez wrote:
Hi John and Arun. Thanks for your most informative mails: my apologies for responding so late: I was out of the office all of last week due to illness and am still playing catch up.

The distance learning event sounds wonderful: and it would be my pleasure to get involved in any way possible. John, am not entirely sure what, (if any thing) is so unique about me, but if you require me to record any material or stories of my travels and experiences then I’d be delighted. I am also copying this mail to a dear friend and Associate, Sutish Sharma. We are media partners in a small media project of our own, but more spesificly, Sutish runs a community radio station covering West London, who are about to commence brodcasting next year. The project is composed of an all purpose media training centre: while providing a platform for community dialogue and circulation of information and cross cultural experiences, the project also aims to create access to transferible skills through media training for ethnic minorities and other disadvantaged groups. I am sure Sutish and his current trainees would have a wealth to contribute to this.

I look forward to working with you,
Love to Vicram and the team in India,

Kind regards,
Roshni.

First of all, I must thank you for adding me to your Email list and keeping me abreast of developments in Karachi. There has been a steady flow of Emails over the last few days, so I thought it would be fitting to write and introduce myself properly and give you some of my background.

I have been totally blind almost since birth as a result of congenital cataracts and severe glaucoma which resulted in the removal of one eye and the malfunctioning of the other. I was fortunate though in that I belong to a wonderfully supportive family, who were forever reminding me that while I may never become an aircraft pilot, I could pretty much do whatever I wanted! Living in Scotland, the possibilities are endless, and in generally we are blessed by the implementation of the disability discrimination act which not only empowers but offers a regimented framework through which all individuals, regardless of class, gender, ethnicity or disability can access education, employment, goods and services. I attended a special school for my primary education, and then a mainstream grammar school for my secondary education with minimal support and translated material in classes.

After taking a year out, I then began a traineeship with the BBC and went on to work as a researcher and broadcast producer. The work took me in many unique and innovative directions, mainly drawing on my passion for South-Asia which has been around since my childhood. I was able to complete my studies in Urdu and Asian classical music, as well as producing several highly successful radio documentaries on the ethnic communities based here in Scotland. I think radio is an amazing medium, particularly for the visually impaired, and that is one of the main reasons why I also spent some time working on a radio project specifically targeted at the visually impaired: (this link might be of interest to you http://www.viponair.com

I had always wanted to spend time in South Asia, and so when my BBC contract came to an end, I accepted an offer to work with FM 107 in Karachi as a senior broadcast producer. While my visit had mainly been set up to develop my skills within radio, I became increasingly concerned about access to equality for the visually impaired. Perhaps for the first time I was made aware of the blatant discrimination many disabled people face in Pakistan, and how participating fully within the busy lifestyle I so enjoyed back in
Scotland was but a distant dream for them. I visited the Sindh Government School for the blind where I was first introduced to Shazia, and found her a tremendous inspiration. Over the subsequent few months I spent in Karachi, I met many other similar people, who despite the many barriers they faced in their lives, were determined to strive forward and turn things around for
themselves. Rabia and I worked very closely together at 107, and have kept in close contact since my return to Scotland. She has told me allot about your work and the conference you had planned, and I was very keen to become involved.

Although my work is not directly within the field of disability, I have a great many contacts and other partners based over here who would be keen to work together with yourselves and develop something. I see this working on a number of levels. I think it would be good to try and set up an international working group who could assist in the development of an institute in Karachi. They would be able to bring their expertise to the table, as well as the possibilities of fundraising and financial contributions and the placement of our work on the international map. There are many partners who would be keen to attend the conference to speak and to network, while I have also spoken to another organisation who would consider sponsorship. I am aware that the event took place on a small scale earlier this month, but I believe that if you are still keen on continuing work in this area, then it would be wonderful to join forces and work together to advance activity in this rather neglected area.

For my part, I would dearly love to return to Karachi and work specifically within the sphere of employment: working with companies to facilitate work shadowing placements and access to work within the mainstream, as well as tailored career guidance and support to clients who require employment guidance and job coaching. There is a project running in Scotland which operates along the same lines that I am thinking of and again, this might be something in the long term which we can work together on.

I will sign off for now, but would like to thank you again for keeping me up-to-date, and I must congratulate you on your efforts so far. I am delighted that there is a core of like minded individuals working to develop services in Pakistan, and for my part, it would be a pleasure to assist you in any way I can.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best wishes,

Roshni Hafeez
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