Jehovah’s Witnesses are offering Braille literature in more than 50 languages as part of efforts to assist people with sight issues to have access to the Word of God.
For more than 100 years, the religious organisation had been producing bible-based publications for the visually impaired, a release by the Public Information Desk, Ghana Branch Office of Jehovah’s Witnesses, said in Accra on Monday.
“Creating a Bible in Braille is a tall order, but Jehovah’s Witnesses have proved themselves up to the task,” it said.
The release, copied to the Ghana News Agency, drew attention to the organisation’s efforts in helping people with sight issues access the Word of God through Bible-based literature as part of activities to mark the World Braille Day on January 4, 2024.
The Day, on the theme: “Empowering through Inclusion and Diversity,” was to remember Louis Braille, the creator of Braille, for finding a way for blind people to read.
It appreciates how he made life better for millions of blind people around the world, ensuring they had the same rights as anyone else.
The Day underscored the commitment to creating a world where individuals with visual impairments were not only recognised but fully included in all aspects of society.
It emphasised the transformative power of embracing diversity within the visually impaired community and advocated an inclusive environment that enabled everyone, regardless of his or her abilities, to thrive and contribute meaningfully to national growth.
The release noted that many were considering the resources available to the blind or people with low vision, which the World Health Organisation say may include some 2.2 billion people.
In 2022, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ translation of the Holy Bible, was released in Braille in three languages: German, Korean, and Ukrainian.
“Jehovah’s Witnesses have also produced Braille publications for people throughout Africa, including publications in Chichewa, a language spoken in Malawi.”
“All Bibles in Braille are printed at Wallkill, New York, U.S.A., using a braille embosser. This machine embosses braille dots onto special paper, which is then collated and bound into volumes that are shipped to the branch offices for distribution to publishers.”
“A complete edition of the New World Translation in Braille may comprise over 30 volumes and occupy some two meters (6.6 ft) of shelf space. In addition to the transcribed text, the bibles and publications include visual aids, such as maps and diagrams, converted into a format that blind people can comprehend.”
A workbook, titled; “Learn to Read Braille,” is also available.
“The workbook is designed for a sighted person and a blind person to use together. It comes with a kit containing a slate and stylus so that the braille learners can use the tools to emboss braille characters,” the release said.
“This process can help the Braille learner more easily to memorise characters.”
It urged members of the public interested in receiving braille publications to visit jw.org or contact the Ghana Branch Office of Jehova’s Witnesses in Accra for that information.
GNA
BM/ABD
8 Jan 2024
