The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) has recently renovated the “Cane Basket Workshop” at the Cape Town Society for the Blind (CTSB), an organization that carries out projects for individuals with visual impairments. The goal was to improve the workshop’s technical capacity and provide necessary equipment support to enable the society to sustain its activities.
As part of a project in cooperation with TİKA and the Cape Town Society for the Blind (CTSB), the “Cane Workshop” within the society was renovated to develop vocational training and skills for the visually impaired. Office chairs, work benches, and storage cabinets were also provided to ensure humane working conditions and eliminate social inequality.
The opening ceremony of the project was attended by the Minister of Social Development in South Africa, Lindiwe Zulu, the Republic of Türkiye’s Ambassador to South Africa, Ayşegül Kandaş, Mandla Mandela’s wife, Rabia Mandela, Muslim Community leaders, CTSB staff, and various media representatives.
Director Jenepher Ibbotson of CTSB expressed gratitude to TİKA for the support, enabling the society to continue its projects for the visually impaired. Ambassador Kandaş highlighted the improving projects implemented by TİKA in South Africa and expressed gratitude for the aid Türkiye received from South Africa during earthquakes.
Minister of Social Development Mrs. Lindiwe Zulu emphasized the inclusive vision of South Africa for disabled people and thanked TİKA and the Turkish people for their contribution to this vision. Colin Willemse, a visually impaired small business operator within CTSB, expressed satisfaction with the renovation and appreciated the materials provided by TİKA.
After the opening ceremony, the Minister of Social Development, Türkiye’s Ambassador, TİKA’s Coordinator, and CTSB staff visited and inspected the workshop. CTSB was founded in 1929 and has been providing various services for the visually impaired, including operating small business units for creating and selling cane products since 1935.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA).