Nkosinathi Foundation - Breaking Barriers of Blindness

At Nkosinathi Foundation we strive to provide comprehensive rehabilitation services to blind and partially sighted children and adults who live in the Eastern Cape. We have sectioned our services into four main categories:

1. Urban Rehabilitation for Adults

In this programme blind and partially sighted adults and their families are offered:

Emotional Support, which consists of;

- Individual Counseling
- Family Counseling
- Training and Support Group
- Social/ Activities Group

Living Skills Training, which consists of;

- Orientation and Mobility Training
- Provision of Long Canes
- Adapted Skills of Daily Living
- Access to Special Equipment
- Braille Literacy Training
- Referrals for Audio Equipment and Materials
- Residual Vision Assessment and Residual Vision Training
- Prescription & Access of and to Low Vision Aids
- Training in the use of Low Vision Aids

The comprehensive series above are provided by our team of professionals at the Nkosinathi Foundation premises and/or (depending on the type of service) at the client's home or work place.

2. Rural Rehabilitation for Adults and Children

In this programme blind and partially sighted adults and children, as well as their families are offered:

Emotional Support, which consists of;

- Individual Counseling
- Family Counseling
- Training and Support Groups
- Social Groups

Living Skills Training, which consists of;

- Orientation and Mobility training
- Provision of Long Canes
- Adapted Skills of Daily Living Training
- Access to Special Equipment
- Braille Literacy Training
- Referrals fot Audio equipment and materials

* All Blind Children living in Rural Areas are also immediately referred to the Foundation's Professionals in order to provide relevant services and to ensure the blind child accesses formal education. This comprehensive rehabilitation service is provided by a team of Rural Rehabilitation Community Field Workers.

3. Blind and Partially Sighted Children's Rehabilitation and Development

We place special importance on delivery of rehabilitation and support services for children who lose their vision. That is why we have tailored offerings for each important stage of a child's development. This programme offers blind children, aged 0-3 and their parents:

- Hospital/ home visits to the parents and child by professional staff
- Counseling and Support for the Parents
- Guidance for the parents on Stimulation and Development of the baby
- Provision of food parcels when needed
- Introduction to the Foundation's Pre School Group facilitator

This programme offers blind children, aged 4-7 years, and their parents:

- Pre School Group at the NF facility for Pre School learning and activities.
- Provision of breakfast and lunch for the pre school group children
- Introduction to Orientation and Mobility Training for the child
- Introduction to Adapted Daily Skills Training for the child
- Introduction to Braille for the child and optional for parents
- Introduction to Computers with Adapted Software for blind persons
- Low Vision Assessment and Low Vision Training for the child
- Continued counselling for the parents
- Continued guidance for parents on development of the child
- Guidance and assistance with applications to Primary Schools
- School Holiday Recreational/ Educational activities

This programme offers blind children, aged 8-18 years, and their parents:

- Orientation and Mobility Training
- Provision of long canes
- Adapted Skills of daily living training
- Access to Special Equipment
- Braille Literacy training
- Referrals for audio equipment and materials
- Residual Vision assessment and training
- Prescription and access of and to Low Vision Aids
- Training in the use of Low Vision Aids
- Counseling for both the child and parents
- Guidance for parents on development of the child
- Guidance and assistance with applications to relevant schools
- School Holiday Recreational/ Educational Activities

4. Computer Literacy and Employment Readiness

In this programme, blind and partially sighted people are offered:

- Computer Training using adapted computer software
- Braille Literacy Training
- Electronic Low Vision Equipment
- Orientation and Mobility Training for blind persons
- Relevant Adapted Daily Living Skills Training
- Personal Development Training
- C.V. Writing Skills Training
- Job Interview Skills Training
- Communication relating to Work Relationships Training
- Introduction to Tertiary Education and Assistance with Applications
- Introduction to the Open Labour Market and Job Shadowing Training

* Included in this programme is the, Nkosinathi Foundation Internet Café for blind and partially Sighted People, which is the first internet café for blind and partially sighted persons in the Eastern Cape.