FOUNDED

• Cape Town Civilian Blind Society, present known as Cape Town Society for the Blind was founded by a group of women, one of whom was the wife of a blind advocate

COLOURED WORKSHOP

• First Coloured workshop was opened at 32 Hanover Street District Six

OPENING

• Opening of the combined Workshops and Showroom

HELEN KELLER HOSTEL

• The Helen Keller Hostel was opened to provide accommodation and nursing care to the blind and visually impaired

INDEPENDANCE

• The Helen Keller Hostel became independent

NEW IMAGE

• The Society adopted a new corporate image and logo together with the name change to Cape Town Society for the Blind (CTSB)

EST. TED

• Establishment of our Training, Education and Development Department (TED) to further empower blind and visually impaired persons through a variety of training courses and placement opportunities

DINNER IN THE DARK

• The “Night of a Dream” concept (Dinner in the Dark) was successfully launched

OUTREACH PROGRAMME

• CTSB began to stretch its service delivery boundaries and setup self-help groups in Cape Town, Laingsburg, Helderberg, Hermanus and Atlantis areas

LOGISTICAL SUPPORT

• CTSB operates as logistical support to the SBUs, situated in Salt River, as well as satellite centres throughout the Cape Peninsula

COFFEE SHOP

• CTSB establishes a Coffee shop with the main purpose of upskilling visually impaired persons within the hospitality industry

COVID-19

• The Covid-19 pandemic hit.  CTSB managed to get through these trying times relatively unscathed.

FRESH UPDATED LOOK

• Newly designed website launhed with accessibility capabilities

FOUNDED

• Cape Town Civilian Blind Society, present known as Cape Town Society for the Blind was founded by a group of women, one of whom was the wife of a blind advocate

THE FIRST

• First white workshop for the blind and visually impaired opened in 122 Bree Street, Cape Town

COLOURED WORKSHOP

• First Coloured workshop was opened at 32 Hanover Street District Six

PURCHACED PREMISES

• The Society purchased premises at 45 Salt River Road, Salt River

OPENING

• Opening of the combined Workshops and Showroom

WEAVING DEPARTMENT

• The successful establishment of the weaving department took place

HELEN KELLER HOSTEL

• The Helen Keller Hostel was opened to provide accommodation and nursing care to the blind and visually impaired

SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT

• A Social Service Department was formed because of the growing need for rehabilitation, assistance, and social development by the visually impaired

INDEPENDANCE

• The Helen Keller Hostel became independent

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EXPANSION

• The Society expanded its operations by opening the Phambili workshop in Khayelitsha. 32 blind and visually impaired persons was employed at the satellite campus

NEW IMAGE

• The Society adopted a new corporate image and logo together with the name change to Cape Town Society for the Blind (CTSB)

 EMPOWERMENT

• CTSB embarked on what it viewed as a programme of empowerment for visually impaired persons by scrapping sheltered employment and adopting a strategy of independent employment in the form of cottage industries. These Small Business Units (SBUs’) underpinned a new entry-exit strategy and follows the international trend away from sheltered employment towards the empowerment of visually impaired persons

EST. TED

• Establishment of our Training, Education and Development Department (TED) to further empower blind and visually impaired persons through a variety of training courses and placement opportunities

PARTNERSHIP

• A partnership with Optima College to train the blind and visually impaired persons in Call Centre Operations

DINNER IN THE DARK

• The “Night of a Dream” concept (Dinner in the Dark) was successfully launched

NEW FUNDING

• Funding was obtained from the National Lottery Development Trust to revamp the Salt River campus to cater for the needs of the blind community

OUTREACH PROGRAMME

• CTSB began to stretch its service delivery boundaries and setup self-help groups in Cape Town, Laingsburg, Helderberg, Hermanus and Atlantis areas

CRAFT CENTRE

• Received funding from National Lottery Development Trust for developing  a craft centre for visually impaired persons

LOGISTICAL SUPPORT

• CTSB operates as logistical support to the SBUs, situated in Salt River, as well as satellite centres throughout the Cape Peninsula

MEDIA CENTRE

• CTSB establishes the first media centre for visually impaired persons in the Western Cape

COFFEE SHOP

• CTSB establishes a Coffee shop with the main purpose of upskilling visually impaired persons within the hospitality industry

ACCREDITATIONS

• CTSB received full MICT and SETA accreditation for our computer literacy courses

COVID-19

• The Covid-19 pandemic hit.  CTSB managed to get through these trying times relatively unscathed.

LOW VISION CLINIC

• Jannie Mouton Low Vision Clinic opened its doors.

FRESH UPDATED LOOK

• Newly designed website launched with accessibility capabilities