A total of 16 Ulwazi High School pupils received much-needed spectacles from the Small Projects Foundation & Umbono Eye Care programme to improve their eyesight last week.
The Mdantsane school saw 123 pupils undergo screening and 16 received new glasses.
As this restored their faith and confidence, the group have said this would help them bridge the gap with a renewed opportunity to focus on their studies.
Coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of them faced the challenge of not being able to afford a pair of glasses.
The metro-based NGO is armed with experienced optometrists able to assess the pupils’ sight.
Grade 12 pupil Ngcali Magwashu said she was grateful to have benefited from this as having poor sight proved to be stressful.
“My eyesight was poor and I was struggling to even see what was being written on the board even in class,” she said.
Magwashu says that this has been a game-changer for her and will allow her to better focus on her studies.
Grade 12 pupil Isasa Ngxongwana was equally delighted to receive his glasses.
“It was challenging seeing notes on the board during lessons. My parents did not have money to buy me a pair so the organisation has really helped me a lot,” he said.
School principal Mihlali Makhalima said the organisation visited the school in August and delivered the spectacles later in the month.
“Our children are struggling. Spectacles are quite expensive. This is a blessing because our learners are on their books both day and night,” he said.
Makhalima said they were thankful to have benefited from the initiative and that the team had provided an amazing service to their pupils.
“Our children will be motivated to study and excel,” he said.
The project manager for the Umbono Project at Small Projects Foundation Mita Pema Keshaw said that 80% of information a person processed came through sight.
“If from a young age we are missing out on things happening around us or in the classroom, then academics tend to suffer,” she said.
“If we are able to identify challenges from an early age and we can do something about it, it means we are helping to impact society so pupils can do better in academics or sport.”
Keshaw says they have realised the importance of their services.
“In the East London hospitals, there are not sufficient resources and private practices can be out of reach for many disadvantaged individuals,” she said.
Keshaw said they noted that many optometrists were based in urban areas, but with the funding that they received, they could offer services in rural areas.
“We are always looking for funding so that we can continue the work that we are doing. As we are going out there, we are finding the need is far greater than we imagine.”
Keshaw said she worked alongside Johan van der Merwe while other optometrists who assisted in the project were Theo Kretzman, Christelle Giese, Philisiwe Mayisela, Nina Kriel, Fanie Kriel and Ruella Moonsamy.
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