The German Association of Blind and Visually Impaired People (DBSV) in partnership with the Kharkiv Center for the Rehabilitation of Young Disabled People “Right to Choose” NGO (Ukraine), the NGO “IUS” (Ukraine) and the “Ari Ari” Foundation (Poland) organised a training seminar for blind refugees from Ukraine – “Modern mobile applications for smartphones for blind users”. This workshop focused on teaching participants how to use mobile applications that facilitate daily life and spatial orientation for blind people. This is especially important for those who received temporary asylum in European countries during the war and cannot visit such events in Ukraine.
The seminar was held from February 23 to 27, 2023 near Augsburg and started with an overview of the most useful mobile applications and own software development for blind people, as well as a presentation of our organisation and projects by Mykola Lagotsky, advisor to the administrator of distance learning courses for people with disabilities “IUS I.T. Network”. Then, participants received individual tasks for installing the necessary applications and underwent practical training on their use.
These mobile apps give blind people the tools they need to navigate their daily lives, especially in unfamiliar environments. It is crucial for Ukrainian refugees in Germany to have access to these applications in order to achieve an active and independent life despite their limited capabilities.
