We live in a world built for those who can see. From reading street signs to checking our phones, vision shapes almost everything we take for granted. It’s easy to forget how much of life relies on it, until it’s gone. Those who navigate the world without sight do so with a combination of skill, patience, and resilience that most of us rarely recognise.
Tuan Rushdi is not a celebrity. He is not a public figure many would know. He is a representative of a community whose strength often goes unnoticed, someone whose life story offers a window into both the challenges and the possibilities of living and working without sight.
A week into his first job, Tuan lost his eyesight. For most people, such a moment would feel like the end of a dream. For Tuan, it became the start of a mission. Rather than retreating, he leaned into the world, learning to navigate it in new ways, refusing to let his vision define his potential. Today, he works as a consultant for engagement and inclusion at BConnected Pvt Ltd., combining his personal experience, academic training as an Australia Awards scholar, and international exposure to create pathways for blind and low vision professionals in Sri Lanka. This blend of academic knowledge, international exposure, grounded work through the BEmpowered initiative, and lived experience navigating the corporate world positioned him uniquely to speak at a global stage.
In September 2025, Tuan stood at the World Blindness Summit in São Paulo, Brazil. It was the first global meeting on visual impairment held in Latin America, bringing together thousands of participants from 190 countries to discuss advances in inclusion, public policies, accessibility, and new assistive technologies. He presented a model for disability employment built on four pillars: sourcing, training, connecting, and supporting. Drawing on his work with the BEmpowered initiative, which creates real pathways to employment for persons with disabilities, he shared insights into how blind and low vision professionals can be prepared for meaningful corporate careers.
‘Technology is powerful, but it is not enough,’ Tuan said. ‘You can have the best AI tools and screen readers in the world, but if people are not trained to use them in real workplaces, opportunities remain out of reach. Our goal is to make professionals confident, skilled, and ready to work alongside anyone else.’
He also addressed a challenge beyond tools or skills. While many countries have formal strategies and toolkits for inclusion, in Sri Lanka, the bigger hurdle remains societal attitudes. People often underestimate what blind and low vision individuals can do. ‘It is not about disability, it is about ability. When given support and opportunity, blind professionals can lead, innovate, and inspire,’ Tuan said.
Tuan’s own journey reflects this principle. He recalls moments early in his career when colleagues doubted what he could accomplish, and moments when small adjustments and training transformed what seemed impossible into everyday achievement. Each experience became part of his mission to make workplaces more inclusive, practical, and fair.
Standing in São Paulo, addressing a global audience, Tuan was not just sharing a model or an initiative. He was giving a voice to those who rarely get heard, showing that inclusion is not theoretical. It is tangible. It requires training, preparation, and belief in the talent that exists beyond what is visible.
Tuan’s story is a reminder that limitations do not define potential. For workplaces, it is a call to recognise untapped skills and create opportunities for everyone. For society, it is a challenge to rethink assumptions about ability. And for individuals, it is proof that resilience, determination, and the right support can turn a life-altering challenge into a mission that inspires change far beyond oneself.