RUB organize Peer Training to maximize the use and efficient management of Braille and Orbit Reader Machines 

The Rwanda Union of the Blind has organized two distinctive peer training sessions for teachers and technicians whose tasks are to repair the damaged Braille and orbit reader machines at their respective schools.

The Peer training was organized in a special way without requiring a facilitator to guide trainees.

According to Rachel Musabyimana, the Communication and Advocacy Officer at the Rwanda Union of the Blind, the training targeted teachers from the schools for Visually Impaired Learners and the technicians that are in charge of repairing the damaged Braille machines or the Orbit Readers.

Ms. Musabyimana explained that bringing them together in Peer Training is a great opportunity to exchange knowledge between them in the use and management of these tools that help students with visual impairments.

Due to the limited number of needed Braille and Orbit Readers for visually impaired learners, such strategic training is developed to ensure that everyone who has access to the use and management of these resources is well equipped with necessary skills to ensure its maximum sustainability.

Habimana Dieudone, one of the technicians who participated in Peer Training on Braille and Orbit Reader repairing said “ This is a great opportunity for us to meet as peer technicians”

He added that such special training is a way to help each other. 

“This means that when we come together like this, your colleague is sometimes the answer to the challenge you faced in the case of Braille and Orbit Reader repairing.” Habimana explained.

He added that the acquired knowledge is an added value to the work they do as technicians who are tasked to repair any damaged machine for visually impaired learners. 

“So now here we have a lot of skills going to help us in the schools where we work as technicians.” Habimana said.

On the other hand Felicite Nyirakamana is a teacher at Groupe Scolaire Gahini. She teaches Geography at this school which accommodates a number of visually impaired learners.

Ms. Nyirakamana Participated in a teacher peer Training on the use of Orbit Reader machines.

This is good because many of us were using these Orbit Reader machines without a clear understanding of their functioning” Ms. Nyirakamana said.

“For sure we were not fully using these machines. But now we have shared skills between us as those who have used it recently and our colleagues who have used it before. We have shared this information and we have reached the level of teaching others, both teachers and learners, how to use Orbit Reader effectively and efficiently. ” She noted.