In the month of January, blind people all over the world hold programs to honour Louis Braille through whom information access is now possible. The fourth of January marks the observance of World Braille Day.
The South African National Zakah Fund (SANZAF) – a faith based socio-welfare and educational organisation which for the last 42 years, has been assisting the poor and needy throughout South Africa, partnered with the Phoenix Light Group to host an awareness event on the 27 January 2018. The event was held to observe World Braille Day. Braille is a type of dotted writing that the visually impaired utilize to read. On this day, SANZAF hosted the Louis Braille Programme to commemorate the visually impaired. This initiative took place at Durban’s North Beach Park in Durban.
Madrassa An-Noor for the Blind was in attendance for the Braille Reading Recitals at which experienced braille readers shared their knowledge and techniques with learners from the Madrassa in order to enable them to enhance their reading skills. In addition, educational games such as monopoly and scrabble that have been adapted for the visually impaired to enable them to engage in these educative activities which serves to enhance their brail reading skills, were showcased to the public.
There was also a Braille reading competition and the public was invited to play the board games, dominos and cards with the visually impaired.
“It is important for the public to understand the plight of persons with visual challenges so as to accommodate and be sensitive to their needs and requirements,” quipped Saffura Khan from the Phoenix Light Group for the Physically Challenged.
“We hope to have more of these outreaches to increase public awareness in the future”.
