White Cane Safety Day observed

For most, a stroll down one of Gaborone’s busiest streets is not a big deal. But for the visually impaired like Tshepo Raditladi (27) it is something worth celebrating. "Being able to walk down the street without being scared of getting hit is amazing, to be completely honest," said Raditladi.

The Programs Officer of the Botswana Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted (BAPS) was not born blind, but lost his eyesight in 2014 following a long illness. And adjusting to life without sight was not an easy feat. “Losing your dominant sense is shattering and confusing. Everything from your ability to move around, read, write and appreciate the scenery around you, suddenly changes or disappears,” he said. With the right support, however, Raditladi said it is possible to turn the misfortune around and learn to live afresh but he says, it is a very big hill to climb.

The journey requires a great deal of patience and practice. On Tuesday, Raditladi joined the rest of the visually impaired community to commemorate White Cane Safety Day. The event, held under the theme: “Reduce roads fatalities; avail a white cane and free mobility for all,” is a worldwide celebration dating back to the 1960s. It started as a safety reminder to promote consideration for blind pedestrians, but now carries more significance. To Raditladi, a white cane symbolises freedom and independence. "For a blind person, a cane is basically our best friend. If I didn't have my cane, I would need a lot of help from everybody. I wouldn't know where I'm going or what I'm doing," he said.

The event which started with a walk from Gaborone Senior Secondary School (GSS) grounds to the bus rank was organised with the aim of raising awareness about the significance of white canes in the lives of the visually impaired. “This white cane acts as eyes for us. With it, we can easily walk and it also helps us sense any obstacle in the way,” he said. "We want people to understand the difficulties that blind people and visually-impaired people go through as well as to learn how to navigate around us.

This day is all about awareness and understanding the dos and don'ts of how you can help. "Go up to the blind pedestrian and ask them if they need assistance, especially by making them aware of all the important landmarks. It is also really important not to walk up behind them and scare them, and lead them across the street because you might actually bring them in the wrong direction," Raditladi said.

The 2011 population census put the number of blind people in the country at 29000. And the BAPS is on a mission to ensure that by October 2018 at least half of them have white canes to assist them on their day-to-day activities. The pledge campaign to raise 14000 canes is in partnership with the Lions Clubs. “We appeal to everyone to give what they can to help as this will go a long way in improving the livelihoods of our people,” Raditladi said.