The One Show presenter Amar Latif has experienced many wonders of the world despite being blind. A documentary presenter, his shows include Travelling Blind with Sara Pascoe, Beyond Boundaries, Pilgrimage: The Road to Istanbul with Edwina Currie, Adrian Chiles and Fatima Whitbread, and Myths and Legends with Jonathan Ross.
Amar, 51, refuses to let his disability restrict him. In 2004, when he could not find a suitable travel firm, he started his own company, Traveleyes. Amar, from Leeds, explains: 'I could not find a travel company that would allow me to see the world, so I set up my own one. I offer fully sighted people half-price travel, and in return they become the eyes for the traveller who is blind. It means blind people get independence and freedom. Each day, our visually impaired person has a different sighted traveller acting as their eyes. One person might describe the buildings, another might describe the flora and fauna, so they get a different experience too. We are supporting people to see the world in a different way.'
Early Diagnosis and Determination
One of five siblings, Amar was diagnosed with the rare, incurable genetic condition retinitis pigmentosa, causing visual impairment, at age 4. His younger sister and brother have it too, but like him, both have good jobs. Amar’s achievements earned him an OBE in 2023 for services to the visually impaired and entrepreneurship.
From June 21 to 27, he will present the BBC Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of the Rafiki Thabo Foundation, a 20-year-old charity where he is a patron. It helps disadvantaged children and young people in East Africa access education through scholarships, helping nearly 1,000 people study, running a free school meals programme, improving school facilities, and reducing barriers to education for children with disabilities.
Kilimanjaro Trek
In August 2023, Amar trekked up Mount Kilimanjaro in aid of Rafiki Thabo, accompanied by sighted guides. Jon Uglow, founder of Rafiki Thabo Foundation, says: 'Amar is a hugely inspiring individual. It is a privilege to have him as a patron.' Amar adds: 'The Kilimanjaro trek was a big challenge. We did the final part at about 11pm, so a lot of the others had torches. I did not need one, so that was one advantage of being blind!'
The Night He Went Blind
Amar’s condition is caused by a recessive gene possessed by both his parents, and he started losing his sight at school. He says: 'My desk was moved to the front of the class. I was so self-conscious. I wore thick glasses and kids would tease me and say, “how many fingers am I holding up?”'
One night, aged 18, he recalls: 'I went to bed as normal and the last thing I saw before I went to sleep was the poster of Madonna at the end of my bed. But when I woke up, I could not see it. At first I thought it was morning fuzz, but it was complete whiteness. I felt claustrophobic and could not breathe. I kept closing my eyes and opening them, hoping I would see my Madonna poster. I kept bumping into things. I could not see the faces of my friends and family. I did not want to believe I was blind and thought my dreams of going to university and being an accountant were over.'
Determined, Amar got a friend to record their notes so he could listen to them. Not only did he go to university, he spent a year studying in Canada, experiencing the beauty of the country through descriptions given by friends. He says: 'I made amazing friends and we travelled together.' He went surfing in Hawaii with his brother, visited New York and Vancouver, and skated on frozen canals. 'I wanted to travel more, but travel companies would not let me travel alone or do anything adventurous like sailing or rambling. The restrictions left me feeling powerless, so after university I set up Traveleyes.'
Giving Back
Amar, who has met people through Rafiki who escaped desperate poverty through education, says he has been blessed with opportunities. 'If I had been born outside the UK, my blindness could have meant I ended up begging on the streets. Education has given me opportunities. I want to pay that forward to help others, which is why I am so proud to support Rafiki Thabo. I might be blind but I have seen the world. I have been to Sri Lanka, Thailand, Morocco, and Ghana. I went skydiving in Cuba. When the parachute opened, I felt like a bird. I remember being led to a helicopter. I could feel the wind and elements bombarding me from every side. I went skiing too. Someone in front wore a rucksack with music on, and I followed the sound.'
But Amar has had the odd disaster. He says: 'I once crashed into a skip and somersaulted into the rubbish!' Amar also experiences preconceptions about blindness. 'Once a lady grabbed me by the arm and helped me cross a road I was not planning to cross! And I have been approached by people who have asked if they can pray for me.' But he reacts with humour, saying: 'After all, I have been able to do things I could never have dreamed of.'
To donate to Rafiki Thabo, visit rafiki-foundation.org.uk.
