Financial literacy empowers the blind community to live life on their own terms

Blind people navigate barriers every day that others may never have to consider, and financial tasks are a big part of that. 

So much of our financial system is still designed around sight. Bills and statements may arrive in formats that aren't compatible with screen readers, banking apps and websites may be difficult to navigate without sight, and important information on forms, ATMs or payment terminals may not be accessible. 

These barriers can make everyday tasks, from checking a bank balance to understanding a financial statement, more complicated than they need to be. They can also limit people's ability to make informed financial decisions independently. 

For Shoko Kitano, Executive Director of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), removing these barriers is both a professional and personal priority. 

CNIB, a Resilient Futures partner, serves people who are blind, Deafblind or have low vision, helping them overcome barriers and participate fully in their communities. 

“Unfortunately right now, society is set up in such a way that is not accessible to people who are blind, have low vision or deaf-blindness and we feel that barrier every single day,” says Kitano. 

Making financial education accessible 

With support from Resilient Futures, Kitano and CNIB are working to make financial education and resources more accessible to the blindness community. 

"The first focus of our project is to make sure the resources and materials about financial literacy are accessible for the blind community,” says Kitano. "We are looking at braille, screen-reader accessibility, large print—all those different formats of accessible materials." 

Making these resources available in accessible formats is an important first step. But the broader opportunity is to help people build the knowledge and skills to manage their finances independently, understand their options and participate more fully in financial decisions that affect their lives. 

"In the long term, I really think it's the financial independence piece that is going to be huge for the blindness community.” 

As someone who is blind herself, Kitano understands just how important that independence can be. 

"I think the financial literacy is really important for folks in our community. I am blind myself. I am a white cane user. Being able to be independent in general is such a an important component and piece of being part of the community." 

Access to financial education can help people manage day-to-day finances, plan for the future and make decisions on their own terms. These are opportunities everyone should have, regardless of how they access information. 

Recognizing the diversity of the blindness community 

An important part of CNIB's work is recognizing that there is no single experience of blindness. 

The community includes people of different ages, backgrounds, cultures and identities, each with their own financial circumstances, priorities and experiences navigating accessibility barriers. 

That diversity matters when developing financial education. Resources need to reflect not only different accessibility requirements but also the range of financial needs and lived experiences within the community. 

Kitano sees opportunities to learn from other organizations working to address financial barriers, particularly where communities face overlapping challenges. 

"There are so many common and shared experiences across the board. And I think it's great to see the community coming together." 

By sharing knowledge, experiences and resources, organizations can strengthen their individual efforts while working toward broader improvements in financial accessibility and inclusion. 

When accessibility improves, everyone benefits 

The benefits of removing accessibility barriers often extend well beyond the communities that first advocate for change. 

One well-known example is the curb cut effect. When disability advocates pushed for ramps and curb cuts in cities, the improvements were intended to make public spaces more accessible to wheelchair users. But parents with strollers, cyclists, delivery workers with carts and travellers with luggage also benefited. 

The same principle applies to accessible information. 

Large-print materials, for example, can help people with low vision read independently, while also benefiting seniors, students with learning difficulties and children. Similarly, more accessible digital services, clearer financial information and flexible ways to access resources can make financial tasks easier for a much wider audience. 

By helping make financial literacy resources accessible to the blindness community, CNIB's work also demonstrates how financial education can be designed to better serve people with different needs and circumstances. 

Accessibility shouldn't be something people have to request after a service or resource has already been developed. It should be considered from the beginning. 

Building a more financially-inclusive future 

For Kitano, financial literacy is one part of a much larger effort to create a society where people who are blind, Deafblind or have low vision can participate independently and fully. 

The work requires accessible resources, collaboration among community organizations and continued efforts to address the systems that create barriers in the first place. 

Through Resilient Futures, CNIB is helping advance that work, bringing financial education within reach of more people while contributing to a broader conversation about accessibility and inclusion. 

And it's the collective voice of advocates like Kitano, alongside the organizations and communities working together, that offers hope for lasting change.