Hope For The Blind

21/05/2025

William Kentridge | FIRST LIGHT | RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2025

Shepstone Gardens,Johannesburg
23 May - 25 May 2025

The Hope for the Blind Trust, in partnership with Goodman Gallery is honoured to present work by William Kentridge at this year’s RMB Latitudes Art Fair, for the Johannesburg debut of the First Light Project, a moving multimedia experience celebrating the magic of restored sight.

Thousands of people in rural Limpopo live with blindness due to untreated cataracts, a condition which requires a relatively simple surgical procedure to reverse its effects.

Inspired by the idea of exhibiting to people seeing for the first time,the First Light project brings art to the clinic of Hope for the Blind (HFTB) - a new non-profit eye hospital in Modimolle, helping to address this challenge of preventable blindness.

Over the past few months, HFTB’s cataract patients experienced their first moments of vision surrounded with art by the likes of Nelson Makamo and William Kentridge and these moments were captured in a moving documentary film - now available on YouTube.

Curators Johan Stegmann and Lawrence Lemaoana were humbled and honoured by William Kentridge’s generous contribution of a beautiful charcoal drawing of a bushveld scene. One of the most emotional scenes in the film unfolded around Kentridge’s piece with poetic beauty.

Mama Aphane’s exquisite joy ironically reminds us that no one deserves to suffer from preventable blindness. As a society we need to find ways to work for the dignity of all our fellow citizens.

Come experience the magic of restored sight in the First Light booth, combining the colours and textures of drawings, prints, paintings and sculptures with the emotional scenes captured by filmmaker Adam Heyns.

HFTB offers their services to the public at standard medical aid rates while raising funds and creating subsidies to restore sight for eligible disadvantaged patients.

💰 Donate via GivenGain to support Hope for the Blind: https://www.givengain.com/donate/cc/17610
🎞️ The First Light documentary is available to see online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l8yJ1u1_Lw
🛜 Visit https://hopefortheblind.org/first-light/

16/05/2025

Today marks the final day of the inaugural exhibition at the Hope for the Blind Hospital – and what a journey it has been.

Curated by Johan Stegmann and Lawrence Lemaoana, the FIRST LIGHT project opened inside our newly launched non-profit eye hospital, where patients experience the gift of restored sight for the very first time. This powerful multimedia installation reflects on that moment – and invites us all to see with new eyes.

At the heart of this work is a spotlight on Nelson Makamo, whose deeply emotive portraits of South African youth resonate with the very themes of vision, hope, and the future. His work, alongside that of other leading artists – William Kentridge, Mary Sibande, Willem Boshoff, Nhlanhla Nhlapo and Heidi Fourie – helped set the tone for this unique dialogue between art and healing.

Now, First Light prepares for its next chapter: a debut at the RMB Latitudes Art Fair in Johannesburg, 23–25 May at Shepstone Gardens.

To everyone who joined us at the hospital for this moving beginning – thank you. We look forward to welcoming a new audience to experience First Light in an entirely different setting: one that continues to push the boundaries of how, and where, we engage with art.

🎟 Tickets available at [latitudesartfair.com/tickets](https://latitudesartfair.com/tickets)

14/05/2025

FIRST LIGHT | NELSON MAKAMO | RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2025
⁣
Shepstone Gardens, Johannesburg⁣
23 May - 25 May 2025⁣

The Hope for the Blind Trust is honoured to present work by Nelson Makamo at this year’s RMB - Rand Merchant Bank Latitudes Art Fair, for the Johannesburg debut of the FIRST LIGHT PROJECT, a moving multimedia experience celebrating the magic of restored sight.

Thousands of people in rural Limpopo live with blindness due to untreated cataracts, a condition which requires a relatively simple surgical procedure to reverse its effects. Inspired by the idea of exhibiting art to people seeing for the first time, the First Light project brings art to the clinic of Hope for the Blind (HFTB) - a new non-profit eye hospital in Modimolle, which looks to address this challenge of preventable blindness.

Over the past few months, HFTB’s cataract patients experienced their first moments of vision surrounded with art by the likes of Nelson Makamo and William Kentridge and these moments were captured in a moving documentary film - now available on YouTube.

HFTB is especially proud to partner with Makamo, who hails from Modimolle itself and has become a beacon of inspiration for the community. His vibrant, hope-filled portraits perfectly embodies the First Light’s celebration of vision, sparking optimism for the future of Limpopo.- forming part of an inaugural group show, which is now coming to Johannesburg for the Latitudes Art Fair.

When we witness cataract patients admiring art and seeing the world anew, we discover that vision is more than seeing: it’s the spark that ignites curiosity, gratitude, and wonder - rejuvenating an appreciation for sight and the beauty that surrounds us.

Come experience the magic of restored sight in our multi-media booth, combining the colours and textures of drawings, prints, paintings and sculptures with the emotional scenes captured by filmmaker Adam Heyns. Curation is by Johan Stegmann and Lawrence Lemaoana.

HFTB offer their services to the public at standard medical aid rates while raising funds and creating subsidies to restore sight for eligible disadvantaged patients. Hope for the Blind welcomes direct donations to eye surgeries of disadvantaged individuals at only R18,000 per cataract as well as donations towards specific material needs. Acquiring art from the First Light portfolio is a great way to support both the First Light Project and HFTB’s mission of restoring sight for those in need.

🎬 The First Light documentary is available to see online: https://lnkd.in/dv6XxiWx
🙏 Donate via GivenGain to support Hope for the Blind: https://lnkd.in/dq9f_pSJ
🔗visit https://lnkd.in/dExJ3hg2

09/05/2025

RMB Latitudes Art Fair 2025 | FIRST LIGHT
📍 Shepstone Gardens, Johannesburg
🗓 23 – 25 May 2025

The Hope for the Blind Trust is honoured to be part of this year’s RMB Latitudes Art Fair, taking place in just two weeks at the iconic Shepstone Gardens – marking the Johannesburg debut of the First Light project.

💡 Step into our multi-media booth and witness the transformative power of sight restoration. Through powerful visuals capturing patients seeing for the first time, paired with evocative works by leading contemporary South African artists – William Kentridge, Nelson Makamo, Mary Sibande, Willem Boshoff, Nhlanhla Nhlapo, and Heidi Fourie – we explore the deep connections between art, healing, and human experience.

🎨 Presented by Latitudes Online in partnership with Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), the fair stands out for its immersive approach to contemporary African art. Visitors are invited to wander through dynamic indoor and outdoor spaces, enjoy garden lunches, engage in thought-provoking dialogue, and reflect under the crisp Joburg autumn skies.

Latitudes continues to champion visibility, connection, and exchange across the continent’s vibrant art ecosystem – both online and in person.

🧠 Curated by Johan Stegmann and Lawrence Lemaoana
🎥 Videography by Adam Heyns

🎟 Tickets now available: latitudesartfair.com/tickets

05/05/2025

🌟 “Only a few of us actually do it in life...”

Hope for the Blind (HFTB) inspires hope by providing life-changing, vision-restoring surgeries to those who need it most.

At the official launch of our hospital in April, we were deeply honoured to have Honourable Justice Dikgang Moseneke deliver the keynote address and cut the ribbon — opening our doors to communities across Limpopo in need of accessible eye care.

Justice Moseneke moved us all with these words:

“I’m just totally in awe when human beings take the time, effort, and energy to use their God-given skills to create goodness. All of us, as human beings, should stand in awe of that. Because truthfully, only a few of us actually do it in life. Many of us use our skills, efforts, gifts, and talents to advance our own self-interest — and that’s perfectly legitimate. But it’s another level entirely when someone uses the same, or even greater, abilities to enhance the lives of others.”

That’s exactly what we’re here to do.

As a premium eye care facility, we are committed to providing quality services to underserved communities — to enhance the lives of others, one surgery at a time.

📽️ Learn about HFTB here: https://lnkd.in/dCmsd-TT
🎬 Watch the First Light documentary: https://lnkd.in/dv6XxiWx
💛 Donate to help restore sight: https://lnkd.in/dq9f_pSJ

02/05/2025

👁️ What if the world you see became a blur — and the fix took just 15 minutes?

Preventable blindness affects thousands in Limpopo, where the leading cause is cataracts — a condition where the eye’s natural lens becomes cloudy, making the world look foggy.

But here’s the good news:

At Hope for the Blind (HFTB), a simple cataract surgery can restore sight, often in just one day. It’s as straightforward as replacing a cloudy lens with a clear, artificial one. And just like that, vision returns. 👁️✨

We invite you to:

🎥 Watch our documentary and see this transformation in action. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l8yJ1u1_Lw

🔍 Learn more about our work in Limpopo and beyond. https://hopefortheblind.org/

💛 Support sight-restoring surgeries and help change a life today: https://www.givengain.com/campaign/hopefortheblind

Let’s make blindness preventable, not permanent.

Thousands of people live with blindness due to untreated cataracts in rural Limpopo province, South Africa. They require a relatively small surgical procedur...

29/04/2025

🎥 Real moments. Real emotion. 💛👁️

At the launch of the First Light Project documentary, we witnessed something truly special — people reacting in real time to the powerful stories on screen.

As they watched patients experience sight — many for the very first time — surrounded by art from William Kentridge, Mary Sibande, and Nelson Makamo, the room filled with emotion. From quiet tears to stunned silence, these moments reminded us of the deep human impact of this work.

📸 These photos capture just a few heartfelt reactions — proof that when art, healing, and humanity come together, they speak directly to the soul.

🎬 Haven’t seen the film yet? Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l8yJ1u1_Lw
🔗 Learn more about Hope for the Blind and First Light: https://hopefortheblind.org/first-light/
💖 Support more life-changing surgeries: https://www.givengain.com/campaign/hopefortheblind

25/04/2025

🌅 In case you missed it… 👁️✨

We recently launched the First Light Project documentary, celebrating the opening of the Hope for the Blind hospital in Limpopo. If you didn’t catch it — don’t worry. We’ve put together a short highlight clip that gives you a glimpse into this powerful story. 🎥💛

Imagine this: waking up from sight-restoring surgery… and seeing art for the very first time. 🎨

That’s the heart of the First Light Project — where patients experience their first moments of vision surrounded by works from William Kentridge, Mary Sibande, and Nelson Makamo. It’s a celebration of healing, beauty, and hope.

💻 Learn more about the initiative: (LINK)
💖 Support sight-restoring surgeries: (GivenGain LINK)
Witness the moment where art meets vision. 👁️✨

18/04/2025

🌅 The First Light documentary is Now Live! 🎬✨

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the First Light documentary, celebrating the official opening of the Hope for the Blind hospital in Modimolle, Limpopo, on 12 April 2025. 🏥💛

As part of the hospital’s inauguration, the First Light exhibition showcased stunning works by renowned South African artists William Kentridge, Mary Sibande, and Nelson Makamo — all to raise funds for sight-restoring surgeries for disadvantaged patients. 🎨🙏

💡 The heart of the First Light initiative?

It merges medical care with art. Patients receive life-changing surgeries and then wake up to experience their first moments of vision in an art gallery setting. 👁️💫

🎥 The documentary takes you behind the scenes, sharing powerful patient stories and their emotional encounters with the artwork.

👉 Watch the full documentary here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l8yJ1u1_Lw
💻 Learn more about Hope for the Blind and First Light: http://hopefortheblind.org/first-light/
💖 Donate through our GivenGain page to help bring sight — and hope — to more people in need: https://www.givengain.com/donate/cc/17610