Free spectacles for the community

Fouzia Van Der Fort|Published 2 years ago

Pictured with optometrist Des Bailes is Noor Eksteen, 66, from New Woodlands, and his brother-in-law Ronnie Slaai, 77, from Mountview.

A Tafelsig widow is delighted to be getting a pair of bifocal spectacles for free.

This after Farieda Petersen, 69, had a sudden vertigo attack during a community clinic at Littlewood Primary School, in Eastridge, on Tuesday September 27.

Farieda Petersen and Charlene Philander, both from Eastridge,

She told the Plainsman that she was most grateful for the kind assistance from Read to Rise volunteers and members of OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation South Africa, who got her home safely after this dizzy spell.

“They also welcomed me back the next day, where I was screened and fitted with new spectacles, she said.

The Mitchell’s Plain-based literacy organisation partnered with the international optometry group to dispense spectacles for free between last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Ms Petersen said her husband died in February and that she lived with her daughter.

The school’s caretaker, who walks past her day every day alerted her to this free opportunity, which she gladly took advantage of, she said.

“This is close to home and I know it is free,’’ she said.

Pictured in the middle is OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation South Africa manager Lameez Eksteen, flanked by Read to Rise’s Roscoe Williams and Mark Klink.

Mitchell’s Plain programme manager Roscoe Williams said the local non-profit organisation was committed to promoting youth literacy in schools in South Africa's under-resourced communities.

‘’We firmly believe that children need to read in order to rise in their personal development and contribution to society, he said.

They screened, measured readers’ eyesight, prescribed corrective lenses and detected eye disease during a mobile eye clinic.

They prescribed 520 pairs of spectacles, which will be dispensed in the next few weeks.

Mishqah van Harten, from OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation South Africa, helps Margaret Cloete, from Tafelsig, try out frames.

Lameez Eksteen, SA manager of the international group, said they were ‘’focused on helping bring everyone in the world the joy of good vision’’.

“Seeing well improves everything in life. From an individual’s health, education and work opportunities, to the sustainable development of local communities and economies,’’ she said.

Mujahid Jacobs, from Hazendal, screens the eyes of Badroenesa Hendricks, from Eastridge.

Read to Rise will be hosting the Cape Flats Book Festival, including authors, poetry, storytelling, workshops, book sellers and a puppet show will be at West End Primary School, in Merrydale Avenue Lentegeur on Saturday October 15 from 9.30am until 5pm and Sunday October 16 from 9.30am to 3pm. For more information visit www.capeflatsbookfestival.com, like their Facebook page CapeFlatsBookFestival or Twitter @CapeFlatsBF.