Our biggest achievement at SAMBT, hands down, is every time a new blind client learns how to get around with his or her white cane on their own. We know how easy it is to forget what courage it takes for a blind person to start walking around without hanging onto someone’s arm.
Our practitioner Thabang recently trained Nthabiseng. She initially felt scared to move around on her own. Thanks to Thabang’s patient and skilful training, Nthabiseng’s confidence grew to the point, where Thabang started following her some steps behind, all the way building Nthabiseng’s confidence .
And so on the day that Nthabiseng got herself to the shop on her own for the first time, the shopkeeper, in awe, exclaimed, “oh wow, you came here all by yourself!” And with that he shoved a whole hand full of sweets into her hand.
As they left the shop, Nthabiseng paused to soak in the moment, “You know Thabang, I did not believe you at first that I will be walking on my own”.
Well, Thabang, knew and believed all this, and more. This is the power of our in-depth independence training. And this December holiday, Nthabiseng’s father’s pride in his daughter will be clear to any visitor who he will tell: “I had a lunch that was cooked by my daughter”.
