Statement by Blind SA on SONA 7 February 2019 Blind SA, a National DPO joins the greater Disability Sector in South Africa in recording our disappointment in President Ramaphosa not mentioning disability or blindness specifically in his State of the Nation Address to Parliament on 7 February 2019. Approximately 10%-15% of our population have some…

This is a story you can be proud to have played a part in… because Nomakaya can now say four words she’s longed to say her entire adult life… “I’m going to work.” Regardless of age, dream or circumstances, a lack of sight shouldn’t be the reason why blind folk can’t live a life they…

The National Skills Fund (NSF) is funding the training of twenty blind and partially sighted persons in Limpopo and Free State provinces. Gilbert Mangwekea, O&M Practitioner will train between seven and eleven blind persons in Mohlaletsi Disable Centre, Limpopo Province from 3 September until 30 November 2018 whilst Nombuso Sibisi, O&M Practitioner will do a…

Casual Day has become a firm favourite on the calendar of many of South African businesses.  It is an excellent opportunity for corporate team building, whilst also making a contribution to one of the country’s most vulnerable sectors of society; persons with disabilities.   The project encourages people to dress differently to the usual corporate…

Every week, we’re meeting more people who’ve had their lives put on hold by sight loss or impairment. For most, we are their only hope. You’ll see what a life-changing difference your friendship makes as we reach out to more newly-blinded folk – and help them back towards living independently … Blindness happens suddenly for…

In 2010 Matthys Odendal enrolled for a PhD at the Department of Linguistics at the University of the Western Cape with the help of the Blind SA Bursary Fund. The newly titled Dr Matthys Odendal received his PhD in Linguistics at the University of the Western Cape at the end of last year. The motivation…

Blind SA recently teamed up with the Gauteng-based  Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education Training Authority  (ETDP seta) to facilitate and empower the development of skills for blind and partially sighted people. The focus was to help these folk to achieve independence. This joint project has now resulted in 35 blind folk recently completing…

With just under 400 unemployed blind and partially sighted candidates currently on our database, we have to be both practical and innovative if we’re to see these folk successfully employed. Says BlindSA’s Employment Officer Parishna Ramluckan: “It’s not enough to have bright and brilliant potential employees who’ve been screened, completed some fairly intense job readiness…

Five braille copies of the award winning Sesotho language drama Lejwe la Kgopiso were recently presented to the Bartimea School in Thaba Nchu. An essential Grade 12 setwork, the work was produced in two volumes by our Braille Services, and handed over to the school’s Acting Principal Mrs Mothibe in November last year. Presentation of…