Turkmenistan: People with disabilities get a new start

Yuriy Kulik lost his sight when he was a teenager, and had a hard time finding a job that could accommodate his disability. In 2005, he took part in an intensive course that taught him how to adapt and function without his sight. He learned how to read and write in Braille, and was trained to become a massage therapist.

The course he took is offered by the Deaf and Blind Society of Turkmenistan, with UNDP support. The course teaches people with disabilities not only basic literacy, but also how to function outdoors and learn a skill, such as carpentry and sewing for people with hearing impairments, or massage therapy for people with visual impairments.