Viktor Solovyov.
In 1942, Viktor Solovyov’s house in the village of Prudishchi, Kaluga Region, was bombed. The entire family was wounded by shards of glass. Solovyov had residual vision after the incident, and he eventually lost his sight completely.
Workshop for the visually impaired.
The workshop for the visually impaired at RUSiNovoPak company assembles pipettes and is considered a loss-making part of the firm. In a shop next to them, people without disabilities produce cardboard, which covers the company’s losses.
Natalya Belopukhova.
The workshop for the visually impaired at RUSiNovoPak company assembles pipettes and is considered a loss-making part of the firm. In a shop next to them, people without disabilities produce cardboard, which covers the company’s losses.
Alexander Rakovich.
Alexander Rakovich chairs the Society of the Blind in the Borovsky District. He lost his eyesight at the age of 5 due to complications from the flu. He works in Rusinovo and lives in the neighboring town of Balabanovo, where he also does business.
Greenhouses in Rusinovo.
On the opposite side of the street from the workshop for the blind there are greenhouses where flowers are grown. Only non-disabled people work there.
Sergei Ivanov.
Sergei Ivanov has been blind since birth: a genetic disorder he inherited from his father. When Sergei is asked whether he has ever wanted to be able to see, he replies – how can I want something I know nothing about?
Agadzhan Khanov.
Agadzhan Khanov has lived in Rusinovo since the age of 23. He lost his eyesight after an accident.
Outdoor landmarks for visually impaired people.
A 3 km long handrail has been installed along the street of high-rise buildings, and rubber lanes serve as a guide at the plant.
Ping-pong for the blind and visually impaired.
Showdown, the applied table tennis for the visually impaired, resembles air hockey, only the players are guided by ear and touch. An eye patch equalizes the chances for participants with residual vision and those who are fully blind.
Praskovya Mareyeva.
Praskovya Mareyeva lost her eyesight at the age of 14, when a mine or a shell exploded next to her during a Nazi attack on the village of Davydovo, Kaluga Region, in 1943. Her sister died, and Praskovya completely lost her vision.
The light from the greenhouses illuminates the entire street .
The blind and visually impaired people live in several five-story buildings; private houses are located at the end of the street where it looks like an ordinary village. People with disabilities are well aware of where everything is; they get to shops, to the workshop, or to the post office independently.
Assembly hall at the plant.
The plant has an assembly hall from the Soviet times, where a choir of blind people has been practicing for many years. There is also a library and a gym.
