Vahan Sargisyan's most important task is to orientate himself in space, ". but the fact is that I can't cross the street, get from one side of the street to another is a problem, too," says the 32-year-old, who lost his sight when he was six. He graduated from the Yerevan Boarding School for Blind Children, and went on to the Department of Journalism of Yerevan State University. He didn't become a journalist because the social-economic situation in Armenia in the 1990s forced him to go back to Vanadzor and continue his studies in the Department of Philology of the Vanadzor Pedagogical College. He never worked in his profession; instead he is a worker at the Vanadzor industrial complex for the blind. "I make electrical appliances, household devices, whatever a blind man can make". If he has nothing to do at work, he spends his time at home with his parents. Although he is in love, he doesn't dream about getting married, starting a family. "Another young man my age can at the very least solve some financial problems, do something. I can't."

At home, his father does the household chores, his mother mainly helps her son. But from time to time, Vahan helps his parents with the housework; he brings in firewood and splits it for the stove. His favorite classical Armenian author is Yeghishe Charents, but he also likes to read foreign authors. To read contemporary literature is an unsolvable problem for Vahan. "In the past they printed literary works in Braille, but now they do nothing in this direction," he says. He dreams about learning to use a computer, about a special technical device for the blind. He is upset that no new books for the blind are being published. And with his monthly salary of 10,000 drams plus 4,600 drams for disability, (under $30 in total) it is impossible to buy "talking books" or a computer.

Vahan also dedicates his spare time to volunteer work. He is involved in the activity of the Lusastgh NGO, and since last year he has been involved in a project called White Cane, which brings together a group of twenty people from the Vanadzor Industrial Complex for the Blind. Vahan was chosen as the teacher. He adapted an ABC book for the blind, and over a period of six months, blind people from age 20 to 50 have learned to read and write using Braille.

The members of the group are mainly people who lost their sight as adults, and had never known about Braille.

"We believe it's important to teach adults to read, because most of them have children who need help with their studies. After learning to read Braille, blind parents can help their school-age children," Vahan says.

Blind people are as interested in education as they are in social and health issues. "We see that every day. Members of our group are adults, they learn with pleasure, although they don't have the same flexibility as children do," The members of the group have learned about the work of the Industrial Complex for the Blind people and some of them now want to work.

The Lusastgh NGO conducted a poll among the blind people in the republic. Only a small portion of the respondents, 11.4%, have a college education. The same percentage doesn't even have elementary education. Almost half of them lost their sight at the age of 40 and over, and they don't know Braille. 23.9% of the respondents prefer not to leave the house. They usually feel uneasy in public. Most of them have an inferiority complex which hampers communication with other people. "The public today has a different attitude toward the disabled, " Vahan explains, stressing the importance of education for the blind. But according to the Lusastgh NGO's lawyer, Edmond Marukyan, the right of blind people to education is not protected today.

The state has undertaken some measures in this direction, but the issue of paying those who escort the blind has not been addressed. 4,000 blind people who for some reason are isolated from the life of society face this problem in Armenia today. In the Lori Marz (province) alone, where Vahan lives, there are 400 of them.