The local chapter of the Association for the Physically Disabled and long-time backer SPAR Eastern Cape recognise that the initiative — now in its 14th year — is the perfect vehicle for highlighting the foundation's work, says the Nkosinathi Foundation.

At each of the four activations in 2025 corporate participants are tasked to push and assist others strapped into wheelchairs while wearing "doctored" eyewear to simulate impaired vision, adds the foundaton.

"Unless they see a white cane people often won’t be able to tell someone is blind or partially-sighted," says Terry Hattingh, Senior Manager for Resources at Nosinathi Foundation.

The Nkosinathi Foundation was established in 1948 with an aim to provide rehabilitation and adaptive skills services to the blind, and support to those who had recently lost their sight, says the foundation.

The organisation acquired a building at the turn of the century in North End, Gqeberha, as it was deemed an appropriate location for the blind using public transport into the CBD, adds the foundation.

Nkosinathi's programmes aim to cater to all ages and are run from these premises. "We have an ECD (early childhood development) group for children between the ages of one and eight," explains Hattingh.

Accompanied by their caregivers, they attend sessions aimed at teaching the adults how to stimulate the child through various exercises when at home, says the foundation.

Two in-house social workers also offer counselling to the organisation's 1 409 clients, some of whom live in other parts of the province, adds the foundation.

For example, Hattingh says, a five-year-old girl travelled with her mother from Port Alfred for weekly stimulation and learning sessionsm. Another person, a man who lost his sight in his early-40s, makes the trip from Humansdorp, says the foundation.

"Even if we don't meet with our clients regularly, we keep in contact. What you need as a blind or partially-sighted person at 30 might be different to what you need at 60," she explains.

Furthermore, the non-profit's orientation and mobility practitioners aim to assist those who have recently gone blind. Among other essential tasks, they are shown how to make tea or coffee, find their way around their home and use a white cane, adds the foundation.

A more recent addition is computer-training classes for adults aimed to empower them with the skills required in modern work environments, says the foundation.

Hattingh says the Job Access With Speech (Jaws) software is used to read documents and send emails. It aenables learners to read the screen by way of text-to-speech or refreshable Braille output, adds the foundation.

A sewing programme, which includes developing entrepreneurial skills and the writing of business plans, aims to empower clients and their parents to supplement their government grants. says the foundation.

"We are hoping to make it more marketable so we can sell our products," says Hattingh.

The foundation works closely with APD on the project and, in some cases, the more skilled tailors are transferred to the latter's work programme, adds the foundation.

"We have a very good relationship with APD," Hattingh concludes. "We help each other."

For more information, visit www.nkosinathifoundation.org. You can also follow Nkosinathi Foundation on Facebook.

*Image courtesy of contributor