Sanlam handed over a check of R70 820 on 14 December 2011.

Thank you Sanlam for working with us to empower blind and partially sighted persons to do what they dare to dream!
 

The South African National Council for the Blind has ambitious plans that they need to fund. They believe that everyone has a basic right to eye care, education, rehabilitation, independence and acceptance

Read all about our plans and achievements and see the pictures of our work.

The Lafarge Community Trust entered into a funding agreement with Council to fund various activities and equipment for visually impaired persons in 2011. Some of these activities have already taken place and some are in the planning phase.

Lafarge Community Trust is truly changing the future of South Africa by changing the futures of hundreds of visually impaired persons.

Winter School for VIP matric learners
Council hosted a Matric Winter School from 11 to 15 July at Filadelfia Secondary School in Soshanguve, generously funded by the Lafarge Community Trust. The Winter School consisted of revision classes attended by 130 grade 12 learners from 8 of the special schools for blind persons.

The following subjects were covered:
• Mathematics;
• Mathematical literacy;
• Physical science;
• History;
• CAT;
• English;
• Business studies;
• Economics.

This is what some of the learners had to say after the very successful winter school:
• “I gained a lot on business studies which was a challenge for me”
• “Well trained teachers who understand the environment and situation we are facing as people with disabilities”
• “The classes were brilliant and we had suitable material.”
• “I liked the high level of teaching, especially the maths and physical science teacher”

Matric results have been a major concern in our sector for many years, with the availability of accessible learning materials being one of the main challenges for all blind and partially sighted learners.

We are sure that the tuition the learners received at the winter school will go a long way to produce better results for our visually impaired learners the end of the year.

Projects still to follow – watch our website for updates:

• Training of 42 Educators to improve their teaching capacity (Mathematics and Science);
• Distributing slates and styluses to 380 people who have learnt Braille through a Braille literacy promotion;
• Training 10 learners in Braille literacy;
• Host an annual white cane day to create awareness on visual impairment;
• Distribution of 250 white canes to people with visual impairments;

The Lafarge Community Trust has generously sponsored money to purchase these 250 white canes of which 120 will be distributed to the first 120 visually impaired people who register to participate in the white cane safety day on Friday, 14 October 2011. The other 130 white canes will be given to school leavers at the special schools for the blind around the country.

Our sincere thank goes to the Lafarge Community Trust for their generous sponsorship and the difference they will make in the lives of hundreds of blind and partially sighted persons lives with these projects.

Defy donated much needed equipment to benefit the Optima Students. They delivered a brand new fridge and freezer on 8 July 2011, which is being utilised immediately in the big Optima kitchen.

Thank you Defy! You really make a difference.

Visit their website to find out more about this company and their products.

A team of volunteers from Old Mutual Personal Financial Advice’s Centurion branch ran a project for their Care and Share initiative to fix up Optima’s kitchen a bit. Care and Share is a voluntary project by Old Mutual staff members where they develop projects and resources to benefit creditable organisations or projects.

When one of the volunteers, Carin de Kock, visited us on a previous occasion she saw blind students walking around with pots of just cooked food, taking it to their rooms, and decided to do something about the situation. They fixed up the Optima kitchen, supplying new kitchen utensils and a lovely new microwave oven. They also brought practical new furniture for the adjacent dining room. Now the students can sit around the new tables and enjoy their meals while socialising, after they have cooked in the communal kitchen.

It is not the first time they have helped us! Old Mutual Personal Financial Advice’s Centurion branch also offered volunteer services and helped with arrangements for our White Cane Safety Day walk and picnic on 15 October as part of their contribution to this year’s Do It Day initiative. They also sponsored the picnic food.

We are very grateful that they are spending their time and resources on bettering the lives of our students and other visually impaired persons! Also to Old Mutual who makes it possible for their employees to contribute in this way.