VISION CARE CLOSER TO MADIBENG COMMUNITIES

October 2026.

For many children in the Madibeng Local Municipality, poor eyesight can be a silent barrier to learning, making it difficult to read the board, follow lessons or keep up in class.

Since 2021, De Wildt Solar’s Mobile Health Programme, in partnership with Innovo Mobile Health, has been bringing free healthcare, including vision screening and prescription spectacles, directly to schools and communities with limited access to local health services.

To date, close to 5000 people have been screened, reaching 162% of the programme’s original target of 2 913, while 486 pairs of prescription spectacles have been provided to learners, educators and community members at no cost. This year alone, 436 eye screenings have been conducted and 89 people have received spectacles on site.

“For learners, the benefit goes beyond simply being able to see more clearly. Corrected vision can make it easier to read, follow lessons, complete schoolwork and participate confidently in the classroom, helping ensure that an undiagnosed vision problem does not become an unnecessary obstacle to their education,” said Qinisani Siveshe, Social Performance Manager for De Wildt Solar.

The programme also provides a range of primary healthcare services, allowing beneficiaries to receive support without having to travel long distances to access basic screening and treatment. Importantly, the mobile model also helps reduce pressure on already stretched public healthcare facilities.

“The value of the programme is in bringing healthcare closer to the people who need it. For many learners and community members, accessing services at a local clinic or hospital can be difficult because of distance, operating hours or long waiting periods. By taking the mobile clinic directly to schools and communities, we can identify problems earlier and, where possible, treat them on site,” added Siveshe.

Furthermore, the programme focuses on prevention and health education, with learners receiving information on nutrition, bullying, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and water safety. BMI screenings and nutritional counselling have further helped learners make healthier choices, while the initiative has also provided an unemployed local young person with training and employment.

Since its inception, the programme has delivered 18 860 healthcare services, identified 781 eye conditions, performed 44 dental extractions on site and made 786 referrals for further care. A total of 530 eye and dental conditions were treated on site, reducing the need for beneficiaries to seek these services at already-busy public healthcare facilities.