As part of our school’s service-learning programme, twenty-five students from Grade 4 to 7 visited The League of Friends of the Blind (LOFOB), a non-governmental organisation that caters to the needs of blind and visually impaired individuals.
Visually impaired adults, teenagers and pre-schoolers met with our students and staff to educate them about what life is like as a differently abled person. Our students learnt about how people who are blind identify money, use their cell phones, co-ordinate their clothing, exercise and generally go about their lives. The experience taught our students that people who are blind fully utilise their other senses to assist them with everyday activities. All of the students enjoyed the visit and one of the Grade 7 students, Sinelizwi P., in Grade 7, commented that she was excited to give back to LOFOB and show that she cares. “We should respect all kinds of people and show them our support. I learnt that the visually impaired are very independent – they are people like us who can do everyday things themselves. They don’t let the fact that they can’t see keep them from doing what they want to do.”
Our students and staff donated customised bags and lollipops and created braille cards and coasters, which they knitted and crocheted themselves.