Childhood centre caters for visually impaired
Children can be motivated and guided toward their own natural development and unique potential.
EARLY Childhood Development (ECD) is possibly the biggest blindspot in the country’s education crisis. Last year, Human Rights Watch released a report,which estimated that half-a-million children with disabilities have been shut out of South Africa’s education system.
The 94-page report, titled Complicit in Exclusion: South Africa’s Failure to Guarantee Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities, found that South Africa had failed to guarantee the right to education for many of the country’s children and young adults due to widespread discrimination against children with disabilities in enrollment decisions. The research showed that children with disabilities face discriminatory physical and attitudinal barriers, often beginning early in children’s lives when government officials classify them according to their disabilities.
While early childhood years are very critical for laying foundational skills for all children, this is especially so for children with visual impairments. Most children with visual impairments need extra support to succeed in school. Carron Strachan, who is a visually impaired, runs the Bright Eyes Centre in Bellvue Road, Berea. This is a child care centre that specializes in young children with a range of visual impairments. The centre provides specialized intervention therapies for low vision 0-5 year olds and adapted learning techniques especially suited for low vision children.
“We believe that with the right stimulation, encouragement and nurturing, exercised within a supportive and comfortable environment, children can be motivated and guided toward their own natural development and unique potential. Many people think that good care should be expensive but it shouldn’t be like that, this place is open to everyone. We offer a safe, relaxed and comfortable stage on which our visually impaired children can be drawn toward accessing their own potential,” said Strachan who is the centre co-ordintaor.
“This woman has shown me that a disability is not an obstacle. She teaches daily with more passion, patience and empathy than I have ever seen. Children in her care are transformed and blossom into independent young individuals barely recognizable from their first days here,” said Cathryn Aylett , a specialist preschool teacher andVision Intervention Therapist at the Centre.”
In an attempt to fundrais for the centre, the two women bake and sell muffins to the community. “Every Sunday we bake and on Monday we do deliveries. We are working towards a Jungle Gym. We want to create a place where they can feel safe and spend time outdoors. It is important that we create an environment where they can play without boundaries. If we can get the children before the age of three, we can make a huge difference in their lives and help these kids get to school,” said Aylett.
“We have had seven kids with visual impairment who have since graduated and are doing very well at school,” added Strachan.
For more information or if you’d like to assist in way you can, contact Carron on 084 251 7754, Cathryn on078 059 3870 or email at carron@brighteyes.co.za cathryn@brighteyes.co.za. Or visit them at 135 Bellevue Road, Berea, Durban.
