On a mission to raise awareness and mark White Cane Day, the Mpumalanga Association for the Blind and Rehabilitations (MABR) walked from the Nelspruit Taxi Rank to the Civic Centre on Thursday, October 30.

The walk was open to everyone, including those who are not visually impaired, giving participants the chance to experience what it feels like to walk with a cane. En route, walkers covered their eyes with blindfolds and were assisted as they navigated the route.

ALSO READ: Enough is Enough: Mbombela walks in memory of slain Lusanda Mathabela

White Cane Day highlights the importance of the white cane for blind and low-vision communities and aims to educate people across the country about blindness.

MABR facilitator Makhosonke Magudulela said the event helps the public understand the cane’s role for visually impaired people.

“The cane is a guide that helps them navigate. It allows them to detect obstacles, such as potholes, and find their way safely,” he said. “Every year we celebrate this day to make the community aware that if someone is using a cane, they should give them access. Using a cane signals that the person cannot see.”

Magudulela called on various stakeholders to consider the needs of visually impaired people.

ALSO READ: Lowveld Walkers wear pink for breast cancer awareness

“When looking at the hierarchy of people with disabilities, those who are visually impaired are often in a worse position. They always need assistance. In government and corporate environments they are sometimes seen as an extra cost. Even when employed, they do not always receive the necessary support,” he said.

He added that the MABR assists visually impaired people so they can navigate safely and independently.