Blind and visually impaired, "with the right tools we can do anything"

Monica Taula is a tornado, which overwhelms with her positivity and dynamism any person who goes through her (beautiful) life story that has led her today to become national president of Anpvi, the blind and partially sighted association .

In Sardinia there are about 3,112 people with visual disabilities (total and partial blind, INPS 2021 data) out of a total of 108,856 at a national level. "In our region, making the necessary proportions, these are important numbers - explains to L'Unione Sarda Monica, born in Dusseldorf in Germany 57 years ago to parents who emigrated from Loceri - because we have many pathologies that lead to blindness, such as forms of genetic myopia , glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa or diabetes. And then there are many babies who are born premature, and the eye is one of the elements that are formed later in pregnancy ".

When did you lose your sight?

“Up to the seventh grade I had no particular problems, only a strong myopia which in any case had not precluded me from any activity. In the third, the detachment of the retina occurred, both eyes ”.

A difficult time.  

  “Certainly because, let's not turn around, from one day to the next I have not seen anything, I had to reformulate my whole system of life, my experiences, resume the school I had interrupted. And in this my mother was very far-sighted: no matter how hard it was for her, she let me go to Cagliari, to the institute for the blind, which was also a school ”.

Did you continue your studies there?

“And not only those: I learned Braille, I approached the problem of blindness, because before it was all hearsay. In the family, to understand, the obstacles were removed from you, there were others who crossed them for you and eliminated them. Instead, in the new reality, I realized in the meantime that it wasn't just me, but that there were many other blind kids, many had overcome everything very well and were doing things that I thought were unthinkable ".

Guy?

“Walking on the street independently, making the bed, arranging the wardrobe, cutting the dishes, eating properly at the table. In short, when I got out of there I was doing everything by myself 100 percent. I returned to Loceri, then I attended the master's in Lanusei and again in Cagliari where I graduated in Foreign Languages and Literatures. When I started teaching I realized that my main interest was to work with disabled children, confronting them has become vital, I teach but I also draw a lot, it has been a continuous exchange for 20 years. But I have a big worry ”.

Which?

“The closure of the institution for the blind. Let us realize that we do not have an institution, a structure, a center that can follow blind people on their path. Let's imagine a Sardinian family in which a blind child is born: it cannot be educated, it cannot be raised in the same way as an able-bodied child. Blind children do not have the same stimuli: when you are small you learn with observation, even chewing is an operation that the child learns because he sees adults do it, his instinct only pushes him to suck. And then the facial expressions, a very important communication signal, the stretching of the hands to touch objects, a blind child does not have these possibilities ".

What is still missing today?

“A policy of raising awareness of the knowledge of the handicap, it is necessary to give the children the training that luckily I was able to have. In Cagliari we are at a good point thanks to the local Anpvi, of which I have been part for many years before reaching the national level: we organize surfing and climbing courses ”.

Climbing?

“Incredible right? Yet, come to think of it, those who do not see have an advantage! The instructors and those who were in Ulassai to live that experience felt a very strong emotion, and a huge emotion in seeing those guys. But there are also the ceramics courses: the teacher was amazed by the shapes, the colors, the paintings made were truly a spectacle. And I wouldn't want to leave out baseball ”.

How does it work?

“With a sound ball, and in the base the boys are called with sounds, whoever runs towards the base is guided by a whistle, in short, the sound stimulus is followed”.

There is also a lot of talk about socialization.

“It is important for us to be among people, we grow and others grow too. For surfing at Poetto, many people approached to understand what we were doing, we must approach the handicap and face it, otherwise we will always remain tied to the stereotypes of the blind man with a cane, with sunglasses. Our intent is to make the city more sensitive to this issue ".

What do you teach?

“I hold courses for visually impaired children, braille writing, also for those in contact with the blind, for trainers, social workers, those who work in the school world. And another important sector is that of health, with the 'hospitable hospital' project we meet the staff of the wards to give information on how to welcome the blind in the structure, how to communicate, how to help. It is not something to be underestimated ”.

How did you come to become national president of Anpvi, the first woman?

“The credit goes to the outgoing president, Egidio Riccelli. He had strongly wanted me as a deputy, and I had years of experience alongside him, who unfortunately left us last year. He had just been reconfirmed, like me in the role of deputy. Now the council, unanimously, has wanted me as president, I am immensely happy about it ”.

Who was the first person to congratulate?

"The girls of the Cagliari association, we are all women: from the secretaries to the president, there is only one male on the board, we are 'with the pink bow', there is an immense good between us".

What will your first goals be?

“Bringing the design carried out in Cagliari to all the peripheral offices of the national association, to the other regions that have remained static and static for years. Associations exist if there are members, so you have to be present in the area. I strongly supported the Campagnano di Roma center, the school where we breed and train guide dogs. A great collaboration is the one with Ierfop, which practically makes our dreams come true. We are not a school, we cannot hold courses, while the European Institute for Research, Training and Vocational Guidance can. I am reminded of the basic make-up course for blind women, not a complex make-up, of course, but foundation, blush, eye pencil, lipstick they know how to put them on perfectly now ”.

A training that not everyone can do.

“I say one thing: if you give a person the right tools, he can do what he wants. I forget not to see, I use my memories, but it takes mental gymnastics otherwise the brain goes out, like the eyes go out. It is also important to accustom the one who has seen to continue to see with the mind. And only those who have dedicated training can do it ”.

Is braille still essential?

“I would teach it in every school and every teacher, not just the support ones. Many blind children in public schools do not know it, they use computers with speech synthesis. But those who cannot read and write do not go on. Reading a text alone, without the voice to do it for you, is completely different. You can also graduate, but without Braille you are illiterate: the computer is a help, something you get to, not the only means ".

Is the company ready?

“Absolutely yes, ready to accept our requests, presented reasonably. Asking and not demanding, then you can get a welcome. I'm not for the controversy or the clash, mistakes are made because you don't know, you don't know a certain reality ".

A blind person in the family: is it better to protect and facilitate them or leave them free to move?

“I give the example of a mother: her love, unfortunately, does not create an advantage in this case. Instead, it is necessary for us too, as in many European countries, to have centers where children, young people, but also adults can appropriate tools to become autonomous and live life in serenity. Because you can. I and many others are proof of this ”.