Najaf workshop led by blind workers produces affordable white canes

NAJAF — Visually impaired workers at the Al-Tammar Foundation have launched a white cane production workshop in Najaf, offering locally made canes as a low-cost alternative to imports from Iran and Canada.

The Abdullah bin Afif workshop, which opened two weeks ago, is the first of its kind in the city. It sells white canes for 15,000 Iraqi dinars (about $11), well below the cost of imported versions.

“This workshop solved many challenges we faced with imports,” said Amer Al-Aaraji, the workshop director. “In two weeks, we produced 1,000 canes, and we now provide delivery services across all governorates, even internationally.”

The workshop employs four visually impaired workers and uses imported components from Iran, including the handles and rolling tips, though plans are underway to begin producing those parts locally.

Haider Al-Kaabi, head of the visually impaired department at the foundation, said the idea for the project began in 2016 but only became viable recently with support from the Basmat Al-Mafqood Foundation and the Al-Tammar Foundation’s visually impaired division.

“We used to wait two to three months to receive imported canes,” Al-Kaabi said. “Each person typically needs two to three canes a year due to wear from sidewalks and streets.”

The workshop is currently fulfilling orders from multiple governorates, including Baghdad, Nasiriyah and Basra.