Better opportunities needed for disabled in China

By Wang Qian (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-12-03 01:49

Later Wang became the first blind person to get both certifications for Oracle 8 and Oracle 9.

Now Wang has a happy family and a well-paid job in America and he wants to use his own story to encourage the disabled in China. He wants them to know they can do anything they want and hopes to advance society's perceptions back in his motherland.

"Things are much better today, but career options for the blind are still limited to massage," Wang said.

He added that the blind can do translations, financial management, news editing and historic researches, but no one tries to help them to acquire resources like the voice software.

According to statistics from the China Disabled People's Federation (CDPF), there are more than 1.2 million people in China suffering from visual disabilities in 2006 and there will be a person losing his or her sight every minute.

The World Health Organization predicted in 1999 that there will be 75 million blind people around the world.

The CDPF and the Ministry of Finance jointly earmarked 600 million yuan in November to boost the building of a national system caring for the disabled in three years.

Any poor families with a member who has mental and severe physical disabilities can apply for aid if the disabled person is jobless and needs care.

The Beijing disabled people's association announced in early November that they would improve the education level of disabled children and young people in the capital with almost 3,000 mentally disabled students graduating with qualifications alongside normal students next year.

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