Hand to heart
This significant undertaking was initiated by Lu Guanliang, founder of the Hand to Heart Visually Impaired Care Association. Now 28 years of age, Lu was born blind, and his hearing was damaged by otitis media in childhood. Although he is disabled, he has always been keen to do volunteer work since he was young. Although he needs assistance, he wants more than that—he wants to contribute to assisting other vulnerable people. So after many years of deliberation, he established Hand to Heart in 2015. The group helps visually impaired people to find meaningful work, provides life support, and brings together the visually impaired to provide care for other vulnerable groups.
Lu’s very positive and enquiring nature led him to undertake two solo journeys across Taiwan in 2015. He found that the residents of nursing homes enjoyed his companionship and massage therapy, but because the powers of one person are finite, he decided to bring his visually impaired friends along to join in the task.
Was he scared of traveling alone? He replies cheerfully that “failure is a kind of pleasure, and experience is a kind of learning.” Visually impaired people also have the right to follow their dreams, and should not allow themselves to be limited by their disability. And that’s why he initiated this year’s journey with his companions. After the April trip, the team even travelled to northern Thailand this summer to share their benevolence with children in care.
The documentary is a graphic portrayal of the lives of visually impaired people—inviting friends over to share a hotpot, play music and sing, never resorting to pathos. They want to reveal the facts of their lives so the public gains a better understanding of the needs of people with visual impairments.
The resilience and independence displayed by Lin Jiazhen, Russ Kan and Lu Guanliang are remarkable. They not only look after themselves perfectly well, but also grasp every moment of life, striving to create a more friendly and accessible environment, hoping that the public will pay attention and realize the need for investment in society’s vulnerable groups. Every little piece of goodwill contributes a spark, together creating a glimmer, and gradually condensing into a lighthouse in the dark, a bright beam of hope.
Despite her visual impairment, Lin Jiazhen looks after herself well and grasps any opportunity to brighten the future for other visually impaired people.
Despite his visual impairment, Russ Kan looks after himself well and grasps any opportunity to brighten the future for other visually impaired people.
With her amiable and very positive personality, Lin shares her work experience by teaching catering at the Taipei School for the Visually Impaired. She hopes that the children at the school can look forward to diverse and interesting careers.
The staff at Sweet So Sweet are all visually impaired. The open cash box and coin tray on the counter allow customers to pay and get their own change, an honesty system that works well.
Shown here walking with his white cane, Russ Kan believes that creating a more accessible working environment will enable the visually impaired to achieve their full potential.
After Russ Kan became blind, his brother Joey (right) resigned his position in a foreign company to assist in managing the Hope of Vision Association, Taiwan. The brothers work together to help disabled people.
Working at the Institute for Information Industry, Russ Kan uses his IT skills to develop software that will help disabled people. The cellphone app i-AIM is one shining example of his work.
Development of the app i-AIM employed people disabled by spinal cord injuries to work as narrators, reading information for the visually impaired through an online video. Kan’s app has created a number of job opportunities for disabled people.