The SA Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind is running a campaign to help give blind people greater independence.
The nationwide Give a Cane campaign to raise R550 000 to provide canes to the blind started on Monday April 8 and runs until Tuesday July 18, according to the non-profit organisation’s regional marketing manager, Nicole Barros.
There are currently 500 people on the organisation’s waiting list for canes.
“By contributing a minimum of R50, your donation will enable us to continue our vital work, ensuring that we can train more clients, provide more assistive devices to those in need, and uphold our commitment to freedom and independence,” Ms Barros said.
Nape Mashiane, an SA Guide-Dogs Association orientation and mobility trainer, teaches blind people how to use the canes.
“We want to make sure that we can assist clients in feeling independent and feel more accepted by the community,” he said.
“We work with different ages and personalities, so we try to adjust and demonstrate how they hold the cane and how they touch the ground and check the surface when walking.”
One of the people Mr Mashiane has trained is Duan Campbell, 34, of Durbanville, who worked as a lecturer in film before losing most of his sight in 2020.
He is blind in his left eye and has 4% vision in his right eye, which is enough for him to make out shapes and a little colour and see people moving, but he can’t pick up any emotions on people’s faces.
“It was difficult in the beginning as I lost my sight during Covid-19, so there were no support groups at the time,” said Mr Campbell who plans to do a course in massage therapy next year.
Apart from cane training, the SA Guide-Dogs Association also gave him a device to help him identify bank notes and a sensor that he can place on cups and glasses when pouring drinks.
Visit guidedog.org.za to support the campaign.
