Sabriye Tenberken became blind at the age of 12. Instead of drowning in self-pity, Sabriye created a path of opportunity. She discovered the beauty of Blindness, developed the Tibetan Braille Script, and together with her boyfriend Paul Kronenberg started the first school for the blind in Tibet in 1998.
In 2005, the couple also founded ‘kanthari’ in Kerala, South India, an impact leadership institute for social change makers. kanthari fosters individuals from all over the world, who have overcome adversity and because of that carry a plan to create social change.
Sabriye is passionate about catalysing visionaries from the margins to realise sustainable social change.

Since 2009, 258 social change makers from 53 countries were trained at kanthari. This has already resulted in more than 160 social initiatives and organisations that are making a positive impact on the lives of thousands of people within their communities, every day.
Next to being a public speaker, Sabriye is the author of “My path leads to Tibet”, a book that has been translated into 16 languages. Sabriye and Paul also had the honour to take part in the award-winning documentaries ‘BLINDSIGHT’ and ‘KANTHARI – change from within”.

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Blind is beautiful, a journey of concept transformation
Power that lies in the Margins of society
Change from Within

The Dream Workshop of Kerala. Learning to Change the World by Sabriya Tenburken

The Seventh Year from Tibet to India by Sabriye Tenburken

“Sabriye and Paul are powerful and inspirational speakers that demonstrate the extraordinary social impact that individuals can make in their communities and on the world. Beginning with Sabriye’s dream of changing the lives of blind children in Tibet, the two of them have made an incredible impact against the odds – starting the first school for the blind in Tibet, as well as the renowned Kanthari Leadership Training Centre in the South of India. Kanthari empowers change makers from the margins of society who have overcome adversity to make a difference in their communities. Listening to Sabriye and Paul speak reminds us all of our potential to do the same.”   – Dominic Barton, Managing Director of McKinsey & Company

Next to being a public speaker, Sabriye is the author of “My path leads to Tibet”, a book that has been translated into 16 languages. Sabriye and Paul also had the honour to take part in the award-winning documentaries ‘BLINDSIGHT’ and ‘KANTHARI – change from within”.

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