Marythar Kambinda
Katima Mulilo – Learners in the Zambezi region with visual impairment will soon receive a helping hand through Sanlam’s Vision for Change initiative. The project has tested and screened over 3 000 children, and provided spectacles for about 1 000 school children at no cost.
Sanlam Namibia’s marketing executive Evans Simataa said they work with Shaetonhodi Optics to bring the gift of vision closer to learners in the Zambezi region, including testing and screening at no cost to the learners or their parents.
He observed that vision is important because it allows people to connect with their surroundings, keeps people safe, and helps maintain the sharpness of one’s mind.
Vision is critical for every child’s social development, academic success and general well-being.
“Our eyesight is one of the most important senses as good vision contributes to improved learning and comprehension, to improved athletic ability, and a better quality of life,” said Simataa.
He added that poor vision can, however, affect learning by lowering reading comprehension skills. Children with a vision-related learning problem will typically lose their place while reading, and confuse similar-looking words because they can’t properly see the text.
Because of this, children with poor vision often show signs of poor reading comprehension, and may struggle to keep up with class assignments.
Simataa noted that this initiative has seen Sanlam and Shaetonhodi Optics continue their year-long partnership for the second year because the company strongly believes having the right support can get you through the unthinkable.
Linnea Shaetonhodi, co-founder and optometrist at Shaetonhodi Optics, informed those in attendance that one of the items always missing on the checklist after parents have found placement in schools for their children is an eye examination by an optometrist.
She said too often, parents rely on a screening that was done in a school setting. While those screenings can be good at detecting near-sightedness, they can miss far-sightedness, to focus near, lazy eyes and other eyes as well as learning and health-related problems.
“Many eye and vision problems have no obvious signs or symptoms, making it critical to have a full evaluation, and not just rely on learner perception of whether they are seeing well or not,” said Shaetonhodi.
Sanlam’s Vision for Change is a welcome initiative from a corporate, as this can affect change and enhance success in the children’s school subjects. Good vision is a fundamental necessity to be able to learn at school, she continued.
Speaking at the same occasion, Zambezi governor Lawrence Sampofu said to be able to focus and concentrate in class is key to succeeding in school. However, children with vision problems find it hard to read text that is small or faraway.
“We have no doubt that poor vision can negatively affect a child’s ability to learn and grow in the educational setting. A child’s vision provides an important source of information about the world around him or her. This initiative addresses one of the main problems of the poor performance of our learners,” added the governor.
“We all know how expensive it is to buy prescription spectacles for our children, but Sanlam and Shaetonhodi Optics are now doing these for our children for free”, Sampofu said.
He noted that Sanlam Namibia has been an outstanding example of how a financial services’ company can play a significant part in building a nation.
This has been evident in the trail that Sanlam has left behind since its establishment in the country as a catalyst and a solid partner for development.
“We commend Sanlam and Shaetonhodi Optics for this very important life-altering initiative,” he said.
Katima Mulilo mayor Lister Shamalaza was also optimistic about the initiative, which he said would ensure that problems which come with poor eyesight would be addressed as children are the future leaders of tomorrow.
“The school-children need to have their health checked, specifically their sight. I, therefore, express my appreciation and gratitude to Sanlam Namibia for bringing the initiative to the town of Katima Mulilo as well as covering other parts within the region in partnership with Shaetonhodi Optics,” he added.