Background
The idea to establish an international fund to assist blind and partially sighted young people was conceived by Mr. Pedro Zurita, the Secretary General of the World Blind Union (WBU) from 1986-2000, who also made the first contribution to the Fund and has been making annual contributions thereafter.
The purpose of the fund is to assist young blind and partially sighted people financially to obtain education, training and employment.
Eligibility
Blind and partially sighted individuals between 15 and 30 years old are eligible to apply for assistance. Applicants from developing countries will be given priority although applications from youth in industrialized countries may be accepted in special cases.
Application Guidelines
- The WBU Scholarship application form is to be submitted together with the 500 word essay and letter of support from the local organization as outlined in the application form.
- WBU retains the right to promote or publicize, including with the use of photographs and videos, funded projects while respecting the privacy of the recipient.
- Funding may be available for courses of study or programs with a duration of more than one year, but funding is not guaranteed for the full period of the course of study and a request for further funding must be supported by a new application and a report from the educational institution or program being attended by the student.
- A Maximum of $1,500 USD is granted for any one applicant, with the average award being approximately $500 USD.
- Support can be provided for such things as tuition fees, vocational training fees, equipment costs, start-up costs for self-employment.