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With support from Orange Foundation and through the efforts of the Global Youth Union Foundation, a re-equipped studio will be operating in the building of the Union of the Blind of Armenia, where it will be possible to record audiobooks in the Armenian language for people with visual impairment. This recording studio, which was founded tens of years ago, has always maintained its operation, but had been using old cassettes till today. Thanks to this new equipment, from now on it will be possible to record the audiobooks in CD and MP3 formats, and to convert into digital format the content previously recorded on cassettes.

Francis Gelibter, Chairman of the Orange Foundation, noted: “Disability and in particular people with visual impairment have always been in the center of the attention of the Orange Foundation. We are happy to participate in the realization of this project, which will make Armenian and foreign literature more accessible to people with visual impairment. Of course, there is already a certain volume of literature in Braille language, but technology makes possible now to have also audiobooks, for a better comfort.”

Susanna Hayrapetyan, GYUF executive director, added, that the project has a historical value as it will allow collecting the Armenian literature and to transmit these values to next generations in an audio format.

More than 12,000 persons with visual impairment live today in Armenia, a large part of whom are beneficiaries of the Union of the Blind of Armenia. It’s through its representatives that the audiobooks will reach the blind people living in different parts of Armenia, which are especially important for those who have lost their sight in late age, and in many cases cannot read the Braille language.

Another component of the project is the enrichment of the www.audiolibrary.am online library with these new books, representing mainly Armenian and foreign classical literature.

Orange Foundation has allotted 8,700,000 AMD for the implementation of this project.

Taking care of the people with visual impairment, Orange Foundation implements a charitable project for the inhabitants of the regions of Armenia already since 2 years, which aims at delivering free ophthalmological services to those who need it, including free surgeries and laser treatments. Till now the highly qualified ophthalmological group has visited Shirak, Syunik, Aragatsotn, Vayots Dzor, Kotayk, Armavir, Ararat and Tavush regions and has given support to more than 37,000 adults and children.