67 Minutes of Inspiration with SA Guide-Dogs

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Join us for 67 Minutes for Mandela Day.

When we say “Life is beautiful” we speak in visual terms of the world we live in. Sight plays such a major part in determining where we go, what we do, what we eat, touch and enjoy, that, when we really want to think, taste, listen to music or smell something wonderful, we close our eyes so as not to be distracted by sight. Only then can we truly focus on our other senses.

Visually impaired people do not have this distraction. In a world designed for the sighted, the slightest freedom is denied to those who cannot see. A cup of coffee is a dangerous hazard, furniture exists to trip people. Everything in their lives must be regulated, counted and memorized. How many steps to the door? Where is the sugar bowl? Whose voice is that? Does this shirt suit me? Is this safe to eat? Do I look neat and tidy? How much money do I have in my hand? How far away is that car?

Fortunately, the human brain is a truly marvelous piece of bio-engineering, with the capacity to take the unused “sight space” and put it to work enhancing other senses. However, this does not happen automatically, it has to be worked at extremely hard. That’s why visually impaired people have to depend a lot more on their hearing, touch, smell and taste. Enhanced senses do compensate to a certain degree, but the visually impaired still have to live in a sighted world. Simple tasks like travelling to work, shopping, drawing money, going to church or visiting friends are almost impossible without the assistance of a sighted friend.

Until science invents a bio-optic device that can take over the functions of the human eye, some other means of enabling the visually impaired had to be found. This need led to a two-pronged approach. Firstly, the Guide Dog, using the sight and intelligence of a trained dog to guide a visually impaired person. Secondly, the College of Orientation and Mobility, which runs a programme that teaches mobility skills using the long cane (commonly known as the white cane) as well as other skills of daily living.

When Gladys Evans stepped onto South African soil in the early 1950’s accompanied by the very first South African Guide Dog “Sheena”, who would have thought it was the beginning of a whole new freedom for all of those visually impaired South Africans who wished to share such freedom. With this new-found, hard-won independence, the capable and determined Mrs Evans wanted to share her joy amongst the visually impaired and in October 1953 founded the South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind (GDA). Today, sixty-one years later, GDA is still the only organization of its kind on the African continent. Both this concept and the Association developed in leaps and bounds. GDA grew from the initial rented premises to finally settle in their current 11 acre Gladys Evans Training Centre just off Witkoppen Road, Sandton.

SA Guide-Dogs breeds and trains dogs for a symbiotic partnership that represents one of the finest achievements of the human spirit and the finest example of the human/animal relationship and bond. Guide Dogs don’t just provide independence and freedom. They also break down barriers and initiate conversations. Everyone admires Guide Dogs which are good-natured and sociable animals.

For those visually impaired who cannot, or do not want to work with a dog, GDA opened the College of Orientation and Mobility in 1974. The college's course enables instructors to return to their communities to train the visually impaired in their own languages to go about their daily lives. This is currently the preferred way to address these needs in Africa.

This year, 2020, GDA celebrates their 67 Years Anniversary and wish to thank the entire South African public for 67 years of support of these beautiful, intelligent animals who make such a difference in the lives of those they serve.

With the outbreak of Covid-19 all of our upcoming fundraising initiatives have had to be cancelled or postponed. This will have a long lasting effect on our already dwindling income. S A Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind receives no government funding and relies on these initiatives and donations to keep our dogs in training and supporting people who are visually impaired with assistive devices and daily living skills training.

We appeal to you for any financial assistance during this time. We depend 100% on our community’s support and we need you now more than ever to please assist to enable us to continue our work in the future.

You are welcome to make a donation at any time.