Our Pioneer Foods Training facility has achieved a wonderful 
accomplishment! Seventeen of our visually impaired adult students have been registered at the ABET (Adult Basic Education and Training) division of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) in Worcester.  This  registration offers visually impaired adults the opportunity to receive  ground phase, primary phase and high school education. 

(Photo) The partially sighted Marlene Rahn completing a section of her matric examination with the assistance of a text magnifier (The Merlin), under strict supervision of facilitator ms Muriel Arendse.

Dr Theo Franken teeing off “blind”

  The very successful 10^th Institute for the Blind Golf Day was held on 15 May 2009.  This is the 2^nd year that this fundraising and awareness campaign was held in collaboration with the Pioneer School for the visually impaired.  172 players from the corporate sector participated in this popular event that has accommodated the likes of FW de Klerk, Toks van der Linde, Tiaan Strauss and the legendary Dawie de Villiers.  An overwhelming, yet nerve-wrecking, experience for the players was on the 9^th hole where each participant was asked to tee off blindfolded to experience the reality of blindness.  A much appreciated initiative was the donation of eight sets of clubs by Eugene Vorster, Executive Director : SA Disabled Golf Association, during the evenings prize-giving.  A sincere word of thanks to all our sponsors – our main sponsor being Hermitage Financial Services - for their indispensable support.

SADGA has taken the wonderful initiative of setting up a First Swing Golf Programme for eight partially sighted adults at the Institute for the Blind.  Mr Kulk Martinus – golf coach and SADGA member – trains these enthusiastic players once a week on the Institute for the Blind premises.  A very exciting addition to this group is the deafblind David Geyer.  David listens to Kulk by placing his fingers on Kulk’s lips and throat to feel the speech vibrations and word formation on his lips.  This is called the Tadoma Method of communication.