Equipped with modern information technology equipment and software, Kaleidoscope will be the first organisation in Africa that will be able to empower blind and partially sighted persons by training them in the most recent accessible Apple touch screen and touch type technologies which will result in more successful job placements of blind persons.
“Considering the fact that currently 97% of persons who are visually impaired are unemployed, there is an enormous need amongst blind and partially sighted people in South Africa to be trained in affordable accessible modern technology to enhance their employability,” says Freddie Botha, executive head of Kaleidoscope (previously known as the Institute for the Blind).
“It is very important to empower our blind and partially sighted persons to enable them to enter the open labour market on the same level as sighted applicants and employees. This centre will be an extension of our rehabilitation, skills training and career development department.”
Being visually impaired is in itself a major challenge, however, according to Hein Wagner, Kaleidoscope’s brand ambassador, motivational speaker and global adventurer, with the appropriate training, support and guidance, it’s quite possible to overcome.
He says that the additional challenge in the South African context is the huge cost of importing adaptive technology to make computers accessible for the blind.
“Up until a few months ago, it would cost you more than R10 000 to convert a standard PC into an accessible text to speech computer for the blind. An average Braille display would put you back just short of R80 000 and with 97% of the blind in SA unemployed, it is time to find an alternative way to equip the visually impaired with affordable tools and training that will help them to enter the job market and become economically active,” says Wagner.
This is exactly what Kaleidoscope will aim to achieve with the opening of the Apple training centre.
Wagner says that the training will focus on using the technology for both personal and business use and the aim is to train at least 400 students in the first year of operation.
“Absa understood our vision for technology empowerment and partnered with us to make this dream a reality with a R3-million initial investment into the facility,” he says.
The centre will be equipped with iPhones, Ipads, Macbook airs, Mac minis as well as the latest Apple technology used to do visual/keynote presentations.
“We’ve designed the facility to be very blind friendly with a logical layout and underfoot tactile markings in order for the blind to navigate the open-plan centre with ease and independence. Our trainer, Philip Crous, is also blind, as we believe that a trainer who is blind himself will use the most ideal method to transfer his knowledge and skill to the students in such a high tech facility,” says Wagner.
Wagner says that Kaleidoscope will also engage with the corporate sector to ensure the placement of persons with visual impairments and support the employee as well as the employer to ensure effective work and training placement.
Substantial initial funding for the centre was also received from Blinden Stichting voor Zuid Afrika (Blind Foundation for South Africa), initiated by Rene and Sandra de Vries from the Netherlands after visiting Kaleidoscope and the Rotterdamse Stichting Blindenbelangen (Rotterdam Foundation for the needs of the Blind) which supports and promotes social and cultural well-being of partially sighted, blind, deaf-blind and multi-disabled persons irrespective of their circumstances.