Hundreds of primary school children have received eyecare screening and spectacles thanks to the partnership of the African Eye Institute (AEI) and the Domino Foundation to address the issue of vision impairments among pupils in underserved KZN communities.
Durban, South Africa (05 November 2024)—Poor vision is a common yet often overlooked challenge facing many young learners in underserved communities, consequently hampering their learning experience.
Vision impairment can negatively impact personal and social development. When a child struggles to see the blackboard or make out the words in their textbook, their ability to learn and engage in the classroom is significantly hindered.
Seeking to make a difference in the lives of many young pupils, the Umbilo-based African Eye Institute (AEI) partnered with the Domino Foundation to provide essential eye care services to children and teachers at schools supported by the Foundation.
This wonderful collaboration has seen children and teachers at Ekuthuleni, Inanda and Zwakeli Primary Schools, as well as Amaoti 3 Secondary, assessed and provided with spectacles, greatly improving their vision.
A recent outreach program at Inanda Primary School screened 366 individuals, with 78 receiving glasses and 138 referred for further care.
AEI is a non-profit organisation that provides quality eye health services to marginalised communities, particularly schoolchildren.
AEI’s Head of Programmes, Nad Ramsarup, described the aim of its OSaaT (One School at a Time) project as the reduction of avoidable blindness and vision impairment:
“We are very aware of how many learners’ educational chances are limited through poor vision.”
He explained that AEI’s screening programme and the distribution of spectacles not only mean learners can now see the board at the front of the class but also how better vision helps learners’ brains assimilate, organise and interpret information.
Thobile Msani, Domino Foundation Life Skills team leader, was impacted during the screenings, highlighting how the delight of children receiving their first pair of glasses proved that vision is truly a gift!
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