16 Oct 2025

As October is recognised as World Blindness Awareness month, Blind Smart Access is playing a vital role by leading some initiatives aimed at raising awareness, educating the community as well as celebrating the capabilities and contributions of blind and visually-impaired individuals.

Blind Smart Access, an innovative private entity, works to promote accessibility, inclusion and equal participation for people with visual impairments.

Its founder and director, Mr Thabo Baseki disclosed in a recent interview that some of the initiatives they have been aggressively pushing this month include awareness campaigns, radio discussions, community outreach and school engagements designed to challenge stereotypes and promote accessibility.

Mr Baseki, who has been driven by a passion for accessibility and inclusion said the organisation also participates in and supports events such as White Cane Safety Day, using them as platforms to advocate for inclusion, accessibility and equality.

“For Blind Smart Access, October is not only a month of awareness but a reminder that inclusion should be a year round commitment,” he said.

“Inclusion is not a favour, it’s a shared responsibility. When we build systems, workplaces and communities that include the blind, were are not just helping a few, we are strengthening the whole nation,” he added.

Moreover, Mr Baseki noted that Blind Smart Access targets multiple audiences, with people who are blind or visually impaired at the heart of its mission. He noted that at Blind Access Smart, they offer empowerment to blind and visually-impaired people, provide education and access to assistive technologies to them.

Mr Baseki encouraged the nation to embrace October and to contribute to ongoing efforts aimed at driving awareness, inclusion, accessibility and action for the blind.

“I want to remind every Motswana that blindness is not a sickness as some believe, it is not absence of vision, it is the presence of a different way of seeing.” ENDS