SVH AND NALIS BREAK GROUND

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 26, 2021: PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO – “Increasing access is necessary work that needs to be done”- these were the persistent words shared by SVH Audio Publishing Ltd, Managing Director - Sterling Henderson at a project launch at NALIS on Nov 24. SVH Audio Publishing teamed up with NALIS earlier this year with TT$35,000 funding from the Digicel Foundation to produce audio recordings of the Republic Reader I-V. These audio files were finally completed and handed over to NALIS by Mr. Henderson at the brief handover ceremony.

The audio format of the school text is also the first of its kind here in Trinidad and Tobago and  will be accessible to individuals who are blind, visually impaired or have disabilities that limit their use of print materials.  The audio version of the basic readers which were voiced, edited and produced by Sterling Henderson and his team will now be made available at the National Library. The rest of the project team comprised Engineer -Robin Fraser, Editor- Anthony Tom and Voicing done by Karla Gonsalves.

Sterling Henderson said, “Audio books remain the best option for us in the Caribbean to increase accessibility to persons who are blind.” He further expressed that SVH understood this to be very important work and was committed to doing it with the EPIC funding received from the Digicel Foundation.

Digicel Foundation Finance Accountant, Misha Jackman shared the Foundation’s excitement to find likely partners in SVH Publishing and NALIS by reiterating the Foundation’s global mandate- ‘Together we are creating a world where no one gets left behind.’

NALIS is the designated authorized entity under the treaty and has the responsibility to facilitate access to published works for persons who are blind. Under the Marrakesh Treaty, NALIS has the authority to make print materials available in accessible formats such as braille, large print and or specialized digital audio files without infringing on copyright laws.

Representing NALIS at the launch were Debbie Goodman, Manager- Corporate Communications and Cherylann Quamina Baptiste – Director of Heritage Library.