TEACH South Africa visits Dialogue in the Dark

A total of 40 students from LEAP Science and Maths School in Alexandra, Johannesburg attended Dialogue in the Dark at Sci-Bono Discovery Centre on August 11, 2011. Organised by English Language Fellow, Reggie Mitchell, the event gave the students insight into the visually impaired community. 

Each hour-long tour was led by a blind person. The students were given a walking stick and were in complete darkness for the experience, relying on the voice of the leader to navigate the process.  They were given tasks to locate items using their sense of touch, hearing, smell and taste.

The students were very humbled by and appreciative of the tour, and were astounded at how independently a visually impaired person could function. 

The tour guide shared examples of real-life situations in the life of a visually impaired person, and gave a brief lesson on using Braille. He also told his candid story on how he became blind. He encouraged the students to assist, and make friends with, visually impaired people.

According to Tumelo Malekane, a Teach South Africa Ambassador at the LEAP school, afterwards the students reflected on the experience en route back to school. He said they also shared their experience at their weekly assembly the following day and agreed the experience was thoroughly enjoyable but, more importantly, gave them a better understanding of the blind community.

The programme was sponsored by Sci-Bono and organised by Teach South Africa.