LIBERIA CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF THE BLIND

The Liberia Christian Association of the Blind (CAB) INC. was founded by a group of the Blind with few dedicated and professional fully sighted Liberians on 28^th April 1985 in the city of Monrovia. At its formation, CAB is to cater to the Blind and others with various visual disabilities. Its activities came to a halt in 1989 due to the war and had to be re-activated in 1991 and formally incorporated by an act of the Legislature in 1993. CAB is now fully operating in Liberia as a non-governmental association of the blind and partially sighted.

CAB, as an NGO, was founded to advocate for the rights of the blind and partially sighted individuals within the Liberian society. Among the issues being addressed by CAB are the lack of representation in matters affecting the blind; lack of means of self-employment; lack of any credible national policy program to serve the needs of the blind; and the lack of equal opportunity for the blind like the right to education, employment etc.

The primary goal is to ensure and provide technical support and advice on the needs of the blind to the larger society thereby eradicating the various forms of social discrimination currently being meted out against them. In prevention of blindness amongst the Liberian people as well as vigorously seeking to educate those already blind without discrimination.

CAB's Legal Status

In May of 1993, the Liberia Christian Association of the Blind (CAB), Inc., was incorporated by the Government of Liberia through an Act of the National Legislature, as a body politic corporation, having perpetual existence, and with authority to contract,, sue and be sued, plead and impleaded in any court of competent jurisdiction in the Republic of Liberia.

The Association in its aims and objectives, is to help blind persons fellowship with one another and to serve all blind persons in their needs: to strengthen the work and foster cooperation with other local organizations and to enable blind persons to work together in peace and unity for the promotion  and maintenance of justice. CAB is also vested with full power and authority to make and establish laws and regulations for its governance, and to do all things and undertake acts as done by similar corporate bodies which are not repugnant to the constitution and laws of the Republic of Liberia.

By virtue of the Act of 1993, incorporating the Association, CAB is legally empowered with competent jurisdiction to purchase or otherwise acquire, hold, convey mortgage or otherwise hypothecate property - real, personal and mixed, up to the value of and not limited to US$100,000 (One Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) as a non-profit corporation. The Association enjoys exemption from the payment of taxes as its accounts showing receipts and expenditures shall be opened to inspection by an official designated by the Ministry of Finance, Republic of Liberia.

In commitment to the legal proviso ascribed to the Association by the Government of Liberia, CAB launched its outreach programs in 1998 which resulted in to the establishment of local branches in four of the fifteen (15) political sub-divisions of Liberia, including Tubmanburg, Bomi, Kakata, Margibi, Buchanan, Grand Bassa and Gbarnga, Bong counties respectively.  In addition, The Association in 2008, formally dedicated a National Resource Center for the Blind on the Robertsfield Highway, Paynesville City,  where blind and partially sighted persons are given the opportunity to develop effective blindness skills and positive attitudes that will  help them succeed in life. The Center for the Blind is a comprehensive education and rehabilitation service program where individual blind persons are counseled to accept blindness as a challenge which they can manage effectively. Training at the Center, enables the blind to appreciate that blind people are normal individuals who live and function competitively in society. At the Cab National Resource Center for the Blind, we espouse to the core value that blindness is not stupidity, or helplessness which could rub you of the ability to earn your daily bread, or the lack of capacity to perform.  Blindness is neither a tragedy to destroy your life, nor render you permanently dependent. This is why we build students’ aspiration around the principle of making the best out of our circumstances.