Redefining What It Means to Be a Smart Worker
From Touching Screens to Touching Lives
As a modern-day Communication Manager, I often say I’m not a hard worker — I’m a smart worker. My smartphone is my magic wand. Each morning, the gentle voice of VoiceOver whispers my alarm in my ears, guiding me to rise and shine. With just a few swipes, my fingers unlock a world of connection — from my boss’s messages to my friends’ notes, everything becomes reachable through the power of technology.
Gone are the days when people believed a blind person couldn’t use a touchscreen. I once thought that too. But as my vision faded, my understanding deepened. Technology became my bridge — showing me that accessibility isn’t a privilege, it’s a right. With VoiceOver reading aloud whatever I touch, and a simple double-tap turning thought into action, I no longer depend on anyone to communicate, plan, or create. My iPhone became more than a device; it became my freedom.
Turning Ordinary Apps into Extraordinary Tools
How I Manage Work with My Smartphone
To make my projects successful, I use the same apps everyone else does — Microsoft Word, Zoom, Gmail, and WhatsApp — but with a different perspective. My VoiceOver, NVDA, and JAWS screen readers are my silent partners, helping me navigate through words, meetings, and messages with ease.
Formatting, spell-checking, or editing in Word are just a few taps away. When a meeting is scheduled, Zoom connects me to my boss and team in seconds. There’s nothing extraordinary about the apps themselves — what’s extraordinary is the way accessibility features turn them into my gateway to independence. I’m just an ordinary woman with extraordinary determination.
Smartphones as Lifelines for Women Worldwide
Freedom, Privacy, and Dignity in Every Touch
If someone were to take away my smartphone, I’d feel as though they’d taken half my life. Science hasn’t made us lazy — it has made us free. For people with disabilities, technology restores independence and dignity. From ordering groceries to finding directions or managing finances, everything is now within reach.
Just imagine what a single smartphone can mean to a young woman in a remote village or refugee camp. It’s a school, a workplace, a community — all in her hand. For women with vision loss, it’s more than convenience; it’s privacy, confidence, and empowerment. Apps now allow us to identify clothes, read menus, manage money, and even explore the world through sound. These gadgets are not luxuries — they are companions, wings of freedom that help us fly on our own terms.
The Power of ATS Support and Training
Empowering Confidence Through Guidance
Services like Assistive Technology Services (ATS) play a vital role in helping users like me — and many others worldwide — explore technology with confidence. I suggest they continue to create recorded tutorials and user guides for every new app or software update, ensuring that differently-abled people can keep up easily.
I remember back in 2012, when I first used VoiceOver on my phone, I hesitated to use it in public. I wasn’t confident living with a disability. But as I accepted myself, the world began to accept me too. That’s the beauty of empowerment — it starts from within. Services like ATS don’t just teach technology; they teach self-belief.
My Message to the World
Recognize Your Strength — It’s Already Within You
Having a disability doesn’t make you less — it makes you human. Some people have visible challenges; others carry invisible ones. What matters is how you rise above them. Focus on your strengths, and if you find a weakness, turn it into your power. Once you believe in yourself, your wings are already there — you just have to fly.
Yes, the journey is harder for women, especially those with disabilities. But true leadership begins when you fight for your own recognition. Once you’ve accepted and recognized yourself, there’s no more waiting