Anderton Naidoo handed in a copy of his Master’s dissertation in braille to Professor Magnate Ntombela, principal of MANCOSA, in commemoration of blindness awareness month in October. Picture: Supplied.
Durban - Anderton Naidoo has always had a passion for giving back to the community. As a friend of the KwaZulu-Natal Blind and Deaf Society, he would ensure that their activities received publicity in the local newspapers where he used to write regular sports columns.
But it was while helping the society that Naidoo realised how little information there is in braille for the visually impaired to access.
Recently, Naidoo played his small part in changing that when he handed in a copy of his Master’s dissertation in braille to Professor Magnate Ntombela, principal of Mancosa, in commemoration of blindness awareness month in October which aims to promote greater understanding of the realities of living without sight.
Naidoo, who is married and lives in Phoenix, titled his dissertation: An Exploration into the Medical Doctors’ perceptions of the need for Business Management Skills in managing their Private Practice in Phoenix, Durban.
“While working for the Blind and Deaf Society, it caught my eye that there was not enough braille research or books or anything else out there for the visually impaired. And that is why I decided to do something about it. In 2013, I launched my book, Aim Higher, which is a book of 100 quotations that was converted to braille in 2015.
“So, further to my study perspective, I realised that if I was struggling to get access to braille as a researcher, I can only imagine what it must be for the visually impaired, and that is why I decided to do my research in braille. Firstly, it's about making an impact and trying to better the lives of all those around, including people with disabilities,” he said.
Naidoo’s book, Aim Higher, has been distributed among students from 22 schools for the blind in South Africa.
Naidoo, who is a life coach and motivational speaker, also assists people with disabilities to find employment and learnerships.
He has also competed in three Comrades Marathons, which he runs without his hearing aid, which is called “run deaf”.
“Imagine running a 42km or even a 90km race without talking to anyone? And that for me has been a great game-changer,” he said.
His advice to people with disabilities is to be positive and have the right attitude to make a difference in society.
IOL
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