APADEVI seeks support from the Chamber for maintenance of services to visually impaired people

The Câmara Municipal de Ponta Grossa (CMPG) received, on Wednesday (30), the director of the Association of Parents and Friends of the Visually Impaired (APADEVI), John Lenon Ribeiro, during the Free Tribune. The entity presented to the councilors the work developed 41 years ago in the municipality and asked for support for the maintenance and expansion of the services offered to people with visual impairment.

APADEVI serves blind people with low vision of different age groups, from babies and children to adults and the elderly. Currently, there are 217 people attended by the institution. According to Lenon, the city has a demand exceeding the capacity to attend, with thousands of people with visual impairments in the city.

Among the main difficulties presented is the cost of services. According to the director, the institution receives approximately R$ 1.5 million per year from the municipality, through the Social Assistance Foundation of Ponta Grossa (FASPG). According to him, the amount is not enough to cover even the payroll of the minimum staff necessary for the operation of the services. “Today we are going through a huge difficulty with the costing part,” said Jhon Lenon, defending the creation of mechanisms that establish a minimum amount of transfer to the institutions agreed with the municipality.

APADEVI also drew attention to the care of elderly people who lost their vision. According to the entity, the service intended for the elderly does not contemplate all the specific needs of those who have visual impairment, which generates difficulties for the care of this portion of the population.

During the Free Tribune, the director also thanked the councilors who allocated tax amendments to the institution. Among the resources mentioned are values for the acquisition of curtains intended for the care of students with low vision, coverage for outdoor areas, chairs, kitchen equipment and materials used in classrooms and care. Lenon also stressed that the institution has an approved project for the construction of an elevator, but that it still seeks resources for the execution of the work.

According to the director, APADEVI also needs resources for basic expenses, such as food, water and electricity. He reported that the institution has already served about 90 people a day with food and that the resources available currently do not accompany the costs necessary to maintain the service.

Another demand presented to the councilors was the release of a vehicle intended for the displacement of students served by the institution. According to Lenon, all the necessary documentation would have already been provided, but the vehicle remains awaiting administrative release since March. The director asked the councilors to assist in the search for information on the progress of the process with the municipality.

At the end of the participation, Lenon stressed that the difficulties faced by APADEVI also affect other institutions agreed with the municipality and asked the councilors to act in the search for alternatives to ensure the continuity of services. “Independent of political party, we will think about our city and the institutions,” he said.

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