OBAC was founded in 1988 by a group of committed visually impaired African and Caribbean people. OBAC became a registered charity in 1994. The charity was set up to offer unique services to primarily people with sight loss from black and ethnic minority backgrounds; however, over the years we have revised our remit to include people with other sensory and physical impairments.

Who we are

OBAC is a user led organisation and the members and service users are actively involved in the shaping and development of our services.

OBAC has a unique service and we believe that there is no similar organisation that understands the needs of visually impaired African and Caribbean people in London in terms of socio-cultural expressions.

Our Mission

OBAC exists to ensure that blind and partially sighted Africans and Caribbean people, including people with other physical and sensory impairments access relevant services, influence decision and policy makers, to enable them to overcome barriers that prevent them becoming active members of the community.

Our values

Our values have been identified through our consultation process, evaluation and how we provide service provisions.

• Integrity
• Respect
• Taking responsibility for each other mistakes
• Transparency
• To be nice to each other professionally, socially and culturally

Our Strategic Focus

Our strategic focus enables to work at a strategic level, campaigning, influencing decision and policy makers in addressing the needs of  people with sight loss and other physical and sensory impairments in terms of disability and cultural differences.

Aims and objectives

1. To relieve the needs of disabled people in particular the blind and partially sighted by provision of an Information and Advice Service
2. To promote all or any charitable purposes primarily but not exclusively for the benefit of disadvantaged people and, in particular, the advancement of education, the protection of health and the relief of poverty, distress and sickness.
3. To work with similar likeminded organisations and individuals outside the UK and in particular Africa and the Caribbean to promote charitable purpose for the benefits of marginalised and disadvantaged people and communities.

Success Factors

• Being acknowledged and recognised as a successful and professionally run black voluntary sector organisation.
• We have over 1000 service users
• Achieved Investor in People standard in 2001 and re-recognition in 2004 and 2007
• Achieved the Community Legal Service Quality Mark in 2002 (General Advice and Casework)
• Achieved funding from local and central government
• Achieved funding support from charitable trusts
• Achieved Office of Immigration Service Commissioners status. We offer advice and support at Levels 1 and 2.
• We are a registered training centre for OCR and City and Guilds and London Open College Network