Agencies Serving Blind & Partially Sighted People
By country sorted alphabetically
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20.11.2009
Please note this page is no longer updated
South Africa
Arthur Blaxall School
Street Address: 87 Royston Road, Mountain Rise, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
Postal Address: PO Box 8132, Cumberwood, Pietermaritzburg, 3235, South Africa.
Tel: +27 331 71400
Fax: +27 331 72211
Email: blaxall@futurenet.co.za
Activities: Our school is a boarding institution which caters for blind and partially sighted
pupils from pre-primary to Grade 12 (Matric).
Last updated: 03/08/2006
Blind SA
Street Address: 102 Eighth Avenue, Mayfair, Johannesburg, 2092, South Africa.
Postal Address: Private Bag X9005, Crown Mines, 2025, South Africa.
Tel: +27 11 839 1793
Fax: +27 11 839 1217
Email: director@sabwo.org.za
Web: www.blindsa.org.za
Activities: The objectives of Blind SA are to promote the interests of all blind people by: Combating poverty; The empowerment of blind people by the provision of braille, the distribution of information and the provision of other developmental services; Acting as a pressure group with regard to any matter concerning blind people.
Last updated: 16/07/2007
Braille Services of Blind SA
Private Bag x9005, Crown Mines, Johannesburg, 2025, South Africa.
Tel: +27 11 839 1793
Fax: +27 11 839 1217
Email: philip@sabwo.org.za
Web: www.sabwo.org.za
Activities: Braille Services of Blind SA is the producer of braille in all eleven official languages of South Africa. The organisation has also been deeply involved in the development of the necessary braille codes to write these languages in a shortened (contracted) form, which speeds up reading and cuts production costs.
Last updated: 03/08/2006
Cape Town Society for the Blind
Street address: 45 Sale River Road, Salt River, 7925, South Africa.
Postal address: PO Box 1018, Woodstock, 7915, South Africa
Contact Person: Hannl Cronje, Chief Executive Officer; Nomalanga Masumpa, Head of Development
Tel: +27 21 4484302
Fax: +27 21 4485206
Email: info@ctsb.org.za
Web: (under construction)
Activites: Facilitates sustainable employment opportunities of visually impaired
persons. It aims to provide blind and partially blind adults,
in the Greater Cape Town and Boland areas, with opportunities to become independent and financially
self-sufficient citizens. An initial assessment takes the format
of career identification followed by personal career planning. Accordingly, vocational skills training
i.e. switchboard and computer training, detergent manufacturing, candle making, cane weaving etc,
is offered. Business training and business support
services are also available. Finally, suitably trained blind / partially blind persons are, with the assistance
of the Society's Employment Consultancy Officer, placed in the open labour market.
Last updated: 10/04/2006
Deafblind South Africa
Suite 80, Po Box 3105, 6849 Worcester, Western Cape, South Africa.
Contact person: André van Deventer, National Director
Fax: +27 32 347 7542
Fax: +27 23 347 7581
Email: info@deafblindsa.co.za
Web: www.deafblindsa.co.za
Activities: Deafblind South Africa sees its role as a lobbying organisation to promote better services for Deafblind people and also to be the mouthpiece of Deafblind people in South Africa. Some of the services are: Correct Diagnosis - It is vitally important that a correct diagnosis be made as early as possible in order to assure the correct provision of services for deafblind children. Early Intervention - If early intervention services are not available, it may lead to the Deafblind child not developing properly. More capable Education units – Urgent attention should be given to the establishment of units for the education of Deafblind children in all the provinces of South Africa. Strategic Partnerships – Form partnerships with other organisations. Identification of Deafblind people – identifying Deafblind children and in ensuring that Deafblind children receive adequate education. Lobbying Forum for parents – Deafblind South Africa would like to provide parents with the opportunity to come together and to lobby together with adult Deafblind people for better education for their children. Role Models for children - We believe that adult Deafblind people can serve as role models for Deafblind children in order to show them what Deafblind people can achieve.
Last updated: 03/08/2006
Institute for the Blind
PO Box 933, Worcester 6849, South Africa.
Tel: +27 23 34 72 745
Fax: +27 23 34 21 16 9
Email: executivehead@blind-institute.org.za
Web: www.blind-institute.org.za
Activities: The Institute is an autonomous organization and works in partnership with the Church,
State, corporate and public sectors to promote the level of independence and the quality of life of
each visually handicapped person. This partnership, motivated by a common goal, common values and
endeavour, acts as a unit to involve the community.
Last updated: 03/08/2006
Johannesburg Society for the Blind
Street address: 159 North Road, Roseacre, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Postal address: Private Bag 20, Linmeyer 2105, South Africa.
Contact person: Mr. Ouis Kubeka, Managing Director
Tel: +27 11 613 8241
Fax: +27 11 613 1180
Email: jhbblindsoc@icon.co.za
Web: www.icon.co.za/~jhbblindsoc
Activities: To promote the independence and well being of people who are partially sighted and blind through rehabilitation education and personal support, enabling individuals to achieve the maximum level of self-integration. To promote the abilities and potential of people with visual impairments by publicizing their achievements and their special needs.
To educate the community about visual impairment including its treatment and prevention.
To create a climate of opportunity for all blind people in society.
To facilitate self-help projects whereby blind people come to play a meaningful and valuable role in their communities once again.
Last updated: 04/08/2006
League of Friends of the Blind
PO Box 31010, Grassy Park, Cape Town, 7888, South Africa.
Contact person: Mr. Philip M. Bam, Executive Director
Tel: +27 21 705 37 53
Fax: +27 21 705 21 54
Email: info@lofob.org.za
Web: www.lofob.org.za
Activities: LOFOB provides a wide range of independence development services to partially sighted and blind people. Part of this service encompasses an infant stimulation and development service including Pre-school Centre, where the main objective is to prepare partially sighted and blind children for school; i.e. either main stream or special schools.
Last updated: 04/08/2006
Madressa Noor for the Blind
Street address: 71 Royston Road, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa.
Postal address: PO Box 4444, Willowton, Pietermaritzburg 3200, South Africa.
Tel: +27 331 979673
Fax: +27 331 979331
Email: blind-mn@iafrica.com
Web: users.iafrica.com/b/bl/blind-mn/Default.htm
Activities: A non-profit organisation catering for the Islamic education of the visually impaired.
Last updated: 04/08/2006
Natal Society for the Blind
Street address: 194 Umbilo Road, Durban 4001, Natal, South Africa.
Postal address: PO Box 18702, Dalbridge 4014, South Africa.
Contact person: Merle Brown, General Manager
Tel: +27 31 202 7277
Fax: +27 31 202 2830
Email: nsblind@iafrica.com
Web: www.tradepage.co.za/nsb/
Activities: Non-Profit organization which services the needs of visually handicapped children and adults and focuses on: Rehabilitation, Education, Formal and informal employment including small business development and Accommodation and recreation. The Natal Society has a Small Business Department, which trains people to become independent basket manufacturers and network marketers of the Society’s industrial and household detergents. Light Industrial Plastics Factories, which recycle and extrude both industrial and agricultural twines. A Packaging and Assembly Department, which offers its services to companies outsourcing part of their operations. The Society offers services to the community: A Resource Centre which offers social work counseling, low vision assessment and life skills training; A Development Centre for blind pre-school children; A Residential Educational Centre for rural, visually impaired youngsters; An inclusive schooling project with blind children attending the Open Air School; A Residence, which accommodates blind and visually disabled people; Outreach life skills and blindness prevention programs.
Last updated: 04/08/2006
Retina South Africa
PO Box 40432, Cleveland 2022, South Africa.
Contact person: Mr. Ebrahim Patel, CEO
Tel: +27 11 622 4904
Fax: +27 11 622 6277
Email: national@rpsa.org.za
Web: www.rpsa.org.za
Activities: Retina South Africa offers supports education and counseling to affected people and their families.
Retina South Africa funds a gene tracking project at UCT to identify the genes causing retinal degeneration in South African families.
Last updated: 04/08/2006
South African Guide-Dogs Association
126 Wroxham Road, Rietfontein, Santon, South Africa.
Tel: +27 11 705 3512
Fax: +27 11 465 3858
Email: ros@guidedog.org.za
Web: www.guidedog.org.za
Activities: Training of guide-dog mobility instructors and guide-dogs.
Last updated: 04/08/2006
South African Library for the Blind
Street address: 112 B High Street, Grahamstown, South Africa.
Postal address: PO Box 115, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa.
Contact person: Johan Roos, Director
Tel: +27 46 622 7226
Fax: +27 46 622 4645
Email: director@blindlib.org.za
Web: www.blindlib.org.za
Activities: Departments include: Audio Library Service, Braille Library Service, Infolib, Braille
Book Production and Audio Book Production.
Last updated: 16/07/2007
South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB)
514 White Street, Bailey's Muckleneuk, Pretoria 0181, South Africa.
Contact person: Jill Wagner, CEO
Tel: +27 12 452 3811
Fax: +27 12 346 4699
Email: admin@sancb.org.za
Web: www.sancb.org.za
Activities: The South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB) is a non-governmental
organization (NGO) striving to meet the needs of all visually disabled people in South Africa. This
support includes rehabilitation, education and training, social and economic development, the prevention
of blindness and the restoration of sight. Services include Optima Training College, the Bureau for
the Prevention of Blindness, Centre for Visually Impaired and Blind Children and the Development Division.
The SANCB bases all its work on the premise that visually disabled people can and should be integrated
into mainstream society.
Last updated: 04/08/2006
United Blind People of South Africa (UBPSA)
PO Box 1823, Medunsa 0204, South Africa.
Contact person: Mr. Meshack Sekhoto, General Secretary
Tel: +27 12 678 1110
Fax: +27 12 682 2724
Email: sekhotom@ampath.co.za
Activities: Helping the blind people who cannot help themselves, developing the knowledge of
humanity among societies, and development in terms of skills and education for the blind. Ensuring
that blind people also enjoy their constitutional rights and are treated with fairness.
Last updated: 18/08/2006
Last updated: 20.11.2009 © Copyright reserved Website design: Digital Accessibility Team