From the #deltadentalARFoundation: Among the many students returning to school this fall, 50 vision-impaired Marshallese adults from Northwest Arkansas are expected to join them.

 They will represent the inaugural class of a two-year pilot project that aims to increase job opportunities and quality of life through health education and assistive technology training. 

Titled “the Marshallese Project,” it was developed by the World Services for the Blind, WSB, with funding, in part, by a #communitygrant from the Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation. 

Of the 13,000+ Marshallese who live in Arkansas, more than one-third suffers from type 2 diabetes, which can lead to blindness. Although exact figures are unknown, WSB estimates that hundreds of Marshallese are considered legally blind or visually impaired. 

Fifty of them will be recruited to participate in the Marshallese Project to receive job training and improved access to employment opportunities and medical and dental resources. 

“This initiative is a commitment to an underserved population to provide access to education, jobs, and training,” said Bec Dwyer, WSB development associate. “It will benefit not only those who have blindness and visual impairments but those with early onsets to eye disease closely related with diabetes and other health-related disorders.”

We applaud WSB for having developed this online, comprehensive learning tool using assistive technology. It can mean the difference between self-sufficiency and dependency. Bravo. 

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