Braille Bibles Used To Empower Visually Impaired Churchgoers
HARARE. Zimbabwe — John Muzamba staggers through the streets of Harare. Though he should be in school, he cannot attend because his parents are both blind and depend on him to navigate the bustling streets of the city.
The elder Muzamba and his wife are led to a sidewalk, where they spend their days begging.
“I spend most of my time on the streets, sitting. It's not always that I talk to passersby, so I try to read the Bible when I can,” said Muzamba, 49. “Unfortunately, I don't have one, and no one has ever thought about us.”
Last month, Zimbabwe joined the world in celebrating World Braille Day. On Jan. 4 each year, millions commemorate and honor Louis Braille, whose invention — a tactile writing system — opened doors to education, independence, and self-expression for millions of blind and visually impaired individuals.
According to the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, 125,000 people — about 1% of Zimbabwe's population — are blind. For people with visual impairments, accessing the Bible can be a significant challenge. The cost of a complete braille Bible is around $600, which is roughly fifty times the price of a standard printed Bible and consists of at least 48 volumes.
There are very few braille Bibles in the country. Bigger schools may have one copy, which the teacher reads aloud during religious education classes. Disability advocates said braille is more than just a code — it’s a bridge to equality, a tool for empowerment and a symbol of resilience.
Marvelous Mutsamba, a disability expert, emphasized the importance of braille accessibility and clear communication.
“This World Braille Day, we’re taking a moment to appreciate the profound impact of braille on countless lives,” Mutsamba said.
In Zimbabwe, cataracts and glaucoma are the leading causes of blindness. Most of the country’s visually impaired citizens rely on street begging for their livelihoods.
Photo courtesy of the American Bible Society
In the past, a few visually impaired people benefited from braille Bibles distributed by the Bible Society of Zimbabwe.
“Reading the Bible is a powerful way to communicate with God. The goal of providing braille Bibles to the nation’s visually impaired is to change not only their religious lives but their everyday lives as well,” the organization said.
Institutions that received the Bibles include Jairos Jiri, Kapota School, Lower Gwelo, Bulawayo and Dorothy Duncan Libraries for the Blind.
Churches and donor organizations note that making braille Bibles is a challenging task. Braille requires more space than printed text and is produced on thicker paper. A complete braille Bible usually consists of at least 40 volumes and weighs about 40 kilograms (88 pounds). As a result, many organizations only have portions of the Bible rather than the entire text due to the high cost of publication.
Although several audio Bibles are available for the blind and visually impaired, religious experts argue that reading is a personal experience. There is a significant difference between reading the Bible for oneself and listening to someone else read it.
“Reading connects you with God. Even if you can afford a smartphone, you won’t always want to wear headphones on the busy streets where so much is happening, and sometimes people want to talk to you,” Muzamba added.
Because of the stigma they face, very few visually impaired people attend church services, making their involvement in church and community activities minimal. While the government and other organizations have attempted to address the physical needs of the blind community, their spiritual needs remain unmet. Religious literature is in high demand nationwide, particularly among the blind and visually impaired.
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Some African countries have been making strides to provide braille Bibles to the blind and visually impaired. In 2022, the Bible Society of Kenya distributed the Bibles to St. Francis Primary School for the visually impaired in Kapenguria. The school has grown to a population of 146 students (of whom 52 are blind and 94 have low vision), meaning they can only read books with large print.
In 2023, the first braille Bible in the Acholi language was made available to the blind population in Uganda, marking a significant milestone that was celebrated by hundreds of people in the town of Gulu.
The Blind and Sighted Integration Ministry, run by ZAOGA Forward in Faith, is providing a platform for preaching the gospel and encouraging the independence and prosperity of the blind community.
“The blind are frequently mentioned in the Bible, especially during Jesus’ healing mission,” the ministry said in a statement. “The word also encourages the community to care for and acknowledge those who are blind, with various scriptures speaking of compassion and care.”
Calvin Manika is an award-winning international journalist based in Zimbabwe.