On September 27, the Lebanese NGO Red Oak launched in collaboration with the Youth Association of the Blind (YAB), at the “Marqet” supermarket on the Koraytem main road, Beirut, its “Red Oak Blind-Friendly Market” project which continues the NGO’s recent cultural project aiming at facilitating the entrance of the blind and visually-impaired persons to museums in Lebanon.

This new initiative has resulted so far in 5 employees of “Marqet” being trained during a two-day workshop to guide blind and visually-impaired people to do their shopping. The number is set to increase to 10 soon, according to their latest press release. This marks the first supermarket in Lebanon and the Middle East to start this.

When an employee notice a blind customer, he will suggest to support him. He will walk through the aisles with the blind customer. Depending on the help he needs, he will orientate him, showcase products, describe them, and help at the cashier.

You can read more about the NGO “Red Oak” here, as well as the supermarket “Marqet” here or watch Al Jadeed’s summary report [here].