International Resources: Regional Organizations

The links in this section are for websites of organizations that serve specific nations or regions of the world. They are often the agencies most familiar with the needs and conditions of a local area, as well as the resources available to individuals, families, organizers, and educators working with people who are blind, visually impaired, or deafblind. The lists are as comprehensive as we can make them. Please let us know if we’ve missed an organization that serves people with blindness, visual impairments, or multiple disabilities: scout@perkins.org

Below are the topics you'll find in this section. Click on a title to jump to a specific topic.

 

Regional Organizations: Africa

African Union of the Blind
A non-governmental umbrella organization of agencies and associations that serve people in Africa who are blind or visually impaired.

Community Based Rehabilitation Africa Network (CAN)
Facilitates the sharing of information about community-based services for persons with disabilities and their families in African countries.

Institutional Development Program (IDP)
Aims to foster self-confidence of individuals who are blind, and improve the quality of services in agencies that work with people who are blind or visually impaired.

The League of Friends of the Blind (South Africa)
Provides a wide range of services to individuals with blindness and visual impairment in Cape Town, South Africa.

South Africa National Council for the Blind (SANCB)
Strives to meet the needs of all blind and partially sighted people in South Africa.

 

Regional Organizations: Asia

Blind Education and Rehabilitation Development Organization (BERDO)
Empowers people with disabilities in Bangladesh through income generation, leadership development, education, training and treatment facilities.

Blind People’s Association – India
Promotes comprehensive rehabilitation of persons with all categories of disabilities through education, training, employment.  Includes links to numerous online publications.

Eyeway.org (India)
Information for individuals with visual impairments, parents and guardians, medical professionals, rehabilitation experts, and service providers.

 Sense International (India)
Sense International (India) helps local organizations develop sustainable services for people with deafblindness. This site offers an online resource library with practical information.

Voice and Vision India
Conducts training programs, develops and disseminates information and materials on the education of children who have visual impairment with additional disabilities, including deafblindness.

 

Regional Organizations: Europe

Associação dos Cegos e Amblíopes de Portugal (ACAPO)
A consumer group by and for people with visual impairments, dedicated to full inclusion and human rights.

European Blind Union (EBU)
With 45 member countries, EBU is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that protects and promotes the interests of blind and partially-sighted people in Europe.

ONCE (La Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles)
ONCE focuses on the improvement of the quality of life of people with blindness or severe visual impairment in Spain, and works closely with Latin American associations on training and employment issues; in Spanish, English, French.

Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)
Information, support and advice to people with blindness and visual impairment, their families, and teachers; including many imaginative and practical solutions to everyday challenges.

 

Regional Organizations: Latin America

Biblioteca Argentina Para Ciegos (BAC)
A non-profit non-governmental organization that provides access to information and culture to users in Argentina and Latin America; in Spanish.

Fundación Braille del Uruguay (FBU)
Information and tools for social integration, including general information on a range of topics related to blindness; in Spanish.

Instituto Nacional para Ciegos (Colombia)
Information for people in Colombia who are blind, including resources for education and rehabilitation and general information about blindness and low vision; in Spanish.

ONCE (La Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles)
A Spanish organization that also works closely with Latin American associations for the blind on training and employment issues; in Spanish, English, French   

Unión Latinoamericana de Ciegos (ULAC)
Works for the prevention of blindness and improvement of conditions for people who are blind in Latin America; in Spanish.                                             

 

Regional Organizations: North America

American Council of the Blind (ACB)
A consumer group that “strives to improve the well-being of all blind and visually impaired people” through organized action, improvement of education and services, and encouraging individuals to develop their abilities.

American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
Information on all aspects of blindness including adjustment, teaching tips, child development, statistics, research, and more. It also includes special sections for families and older adults.

Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)
This site, available in English or French, offers information about eye health, living with vision loss, research, and services in Canada.

National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
A consumer group that works “to improve blind people’s lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence". 

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