Blind woman defies odds, finds purpose in Moldova
In Moldova, visually impaired individuals face numerous challenges in their daily lives, from limited access to education and employment to physical and social barriers that hinder their integration into the community.
However, Ecaterina Begu, a determined and resilient individual, defies these challenges.
Born blind, Ecaterina has not let her disability hinder her education, personal growth, or career aspirations. She works at the Typography Center of the Association of the Blind in Moldova, where she proofreads and binds books for fellow visually impaired individuals. Despite her visual impairment, a typical workday for her is quite ordinary.
"I arrive at work at 9 AM," she explains. "If there are books to bind, I get to work. If there's something to read, I have the novel on the table and start proofreading it in Braille. The errors can range from simple typos to punctuation mistakes."
After proofreading, Ecaterina also binds the books, preparing them to be sent to the center's libraries and other institutions for visually impaired readers.
Ecaterina was introduced to Braille at a young age, around 7 years old. Her mother, who also learned Braille, guided her studies both at school and at home. Later, she furthered her education at the School for the Blind in Bălți.
She is grateful for the opportunity to work, but she notes that disability pensions are meager and that the number of schools for blind children is dwindling. "I wish for higher pensions and more opportunities. We need more personal assistants or support teachers to help children, as I had the privilege of learning and growing. But what about the next generation? A totally blind child needs guidance, something I was fortunate to receive from birth," she says.
Navigating the city is a constant challenge, especially with the haphazard parking of scooters, which can create unexpected obstacles, Ecaterina explains.
The Association of the Blind in Moldova has six thousand members. They receive pensions ranging from 1,500 lei to 8,000 lei, depending on the degree of disability and length of service. The blind also receive an allowance for a companion to assist them.
According to Labour Force Survey data, the labour force participation rate of persons with disabilities in 2023 was 17.0%, compared to 49.2% for persons without disabilities. Among men with disabilities, the participation rate was 16.0%, while for women, it was 18.2%. In urban areas, the participation rate stood at 21.1%, compared to 15.3% in rural areas.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
