The first newspaper for blind children appeared in Izhevsk. There is no other such in the whole Republic. Together with Olga Chirkova, the Head of the “Zhuraveinik” social production centre, and other children, a blind 15-year-old teenager Anton Ponomarev publishes it.
Earlier the newspaper "School Monday" was an ordinary children's publication. When a website appeared, it was a pity to close the newspaper, and they decided to reformat it. At that time, Anton has been already studying in the "Zhuraveinik" and his texts were of great interest for visually impaired and blind children. Then the idea came to make a newspaper that can be read by hand.
Now all articles in the newspaper are printed in large print and duplicated in Braille (relief-point tactile font for the blind and visually impaired - Ed.). The edition has eight standard pages and 24 braille pages. The headings are just like those of an “adult” newspaper: News, This is interesting, Special Report. The newspaper is published with the support of Bahruz Gumbatov.
Anton Ponomarev makes the newspaper himself, and Olga Chirkova helps and directs him. The boy together with other children attends journalism lessons twice a week in the Social Production Centre "Zhuraveinik", where Olga Nikolaevna gives tasks for a week. Then young journalists write texts and discuss them together.
Olga Chirkova considers herself a strict editor.
“Sometimes children rewrite texts, - she says. - Then we publish them on our website, and the newspaper includes the best ones chosen by Anton.
The best part is that the first issue included IZHLIFE's report on the trip of the star of the "Best of All!" show Masha Gutova to the village of Buranovo.
So far the newspaper has only been published in 10 copies, but it is already becoming popular, it is read and passed from hand to hand. By the way, "Zhuraveinik" prepares a journalism textbook for blind children. It will be published with the support of the Presidential Grants Foundation together with the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly.
Maria Shilova