THE future of the seven-floor building housing the KwaZulu-Natal Blind and Deaf Society is looking much brighter following the completion of critical renovations with the help of the Gold Rush Foundation.

The renovations included window repairs to eliminate water leaks and improve ventilation, waterproofing, and the replacement of doors and toilets to enhance accessibility and functionality. At the official handover of the building on Friday, December 6, the president of KZNBDS, Veetha Sewkuran, said the building used to leak when it rained, posing a danger to their blind clients, and the structure would normally get flooded.

“It’s a very old building, it needed a lot of renovations. It’s been costing us a lot of money over the last five years,” said Sewkuran. “We had this huge issue with the windows where we had a lot of water coming through when it rained, so whatever renovations we did they were being undone because of the flooding.”

When Neela Reddy, head of the CSI at Gold Rush, heard about the non-profit organisation’s plight she approached the Foundation to come to the aid of the KZNBDS. “She spoke to her boss and said, ‘why haven’t we done anything for the blind and deaf?’ So that is how the partnership started, with us sending her proposals and them agreeing to repair all the windows. Now that the windows have been repaired and our flooding issues have stopped, the building is now a safe place for our blind clients,” said Sewkuran.

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The repairs took some time to complete as they were undertaken on the entire building which houses a sewing room, computer classes and soon, a culinary school. “We are very excited about that because we hope to open the culinary school by June next year,” said Sewkuran. “There are seven floors and the eighth floor is the roof garden. We are going to get pots and get them to plant their own herbs, start their own little gardens. Nothing stops the blind from doing anything that we can do. They can grow herbs. They can cook. They can do everything that we can do.”

Sewkuran’s strong belief in assisting the Society’s clients in gaining skills and independence is what motivated Gold Rush into investing in the organisation. The founder of Gold Rush Foundation, Sundri Naidoo, said the partnership with KZNBDS affirms the organisation’s commitment to fostering inclusion and empowerment.

She said, “We deeply admire the work that the Blind and Deaf Society has accomplished over the years. Your dedication to supporting the visually impaired and deaf community is truly inspiring. Through education, advocacy, and skills development, you have transformed lives and facilitated opportunities that many thought were unattainable. It is your relentless spirit that motivates us to be a part of this noble cause.

“At Gold Rush Foundation, we firmly believe that a society is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable. Each one of you plays an essential role in creating a more inclusive society. Through advocacy and awareness, we can change perceptions and open doors for those who have been historically marginalised,” added Naidoo.

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