Exploring the Independence and Support Networks of Blind Individuals: A Qualitative Investigation

People often perceive individuals who are blind as helpless. So many people discriminate against and belittle them. This research focuses on efforts to explore the struggles of blind workers in Malang, East Java, Indonesia. The research method used is qualitative approach with a type of phenomenology. The researchers employed the snowball sampling technique to select the research participants, and then the data collection process was carried out through observation and in-depth interviews. The data obtained were processed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. The results of the study show that there are eight main models of exploring the struggles of blind workers, including response to the facts of the situation, social support, self-acceptance, motivation to fight, self-development and skills utilization, participation in social activities, assistance with tools and technology, and efforts to respond every difficulty and challenge.