Vision Mission is the heart of Ster-Kinekor, and allows us to give back to our community.
Ster-Kinekor has always been involved in a wide range of CSI projects, however the focus has been on Vision Mission. The area of sight and vision was a logical choice since the ability to see is critical to consume our product.
Through the assistance with the Department of Health & Education, schools are identified in underprivileged areas. The ophthalmic nurses do the initial screening and optometrists conduct visual examinations in a controlled environment i.e. a Ster-Kinekor cinema foyer, a local clinic, school or at optometrist practices. Prescriptions are documented, frame selected, then everything is sent to the lab for completion.
Any children, who need prescriptions, return to our cinema to receive their glasses and are treated to a movie with improved vision. This is normally the first time these children have seen a movie on the big screen and it is wonderful to see the smiles on their faces afterwards.
To assist youth with visual impairments in underprivileged communities by across South Africa.
To make our contribution to help curb the increase in visual impairments amongst the youth in underprivileged communities.
To increase awareness of low vision as a major public health issue in South Africa.
To fund the project through Ster-Kinekor and customer contributions.
To align to the World Health Organization’s 20/20 Vision Project, which aims to eradicate preventable blindness by the year 2020
To make a difference in many lives on a sustainable basis.
To involve Ster-Kinekor customers in the project by inviting them to make voluntary financial contributions.
The desired end result of vision mission:
Visual impairments in childhood consequently affect school achievement, sporting ability and by implication, social integration. According to the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), approximately 285 million people worldwide live with low vision and blindness.
80% of visual impairments are avoidable, treatable and/or preventable
Restorations of sight, and blindness prevention strategies are among the most cost-effective interventions in healthcare
The number of people blinded from infectious causes has greatly decreased in the past 20 years
An estimated 19 million children are visually impaired
Our Success
What We've Achieved
Initial screening by the health care workers and nurses was over 307 846 disadvantaged learners since 2005.
Optometric testing of approximately 30 % of these learners.
Provided spectacles for about 12 808 learners at a value of R14, 08 million.
Provided assistance for 5 corneal transplants
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to see the impact of your donation on the lives of underprivileged children.
#OPENEYES Campaign
The #OpenEyes campaign forms part of Ster-Kinekor’s CSI programme Vision Mission, a dedicated programme focused on healthy eye care in children.
The 2016 #OpenEyes campaign told Philani Twala’s story – for the past 10 years, he had been suffering from an eye condition that had made him almost completely blind. However, he could not afford the treatment to restore his vision – a costly double corneal transplant.
The campaign recorded 50 million online impressions with an earned media figure of more than R14 million, more than twenty times the campaign budget. Twala was featured on the front page of The Star newspaper, among numerous print and online articles, and appeared on SABC News, Talk Radio 702 and Cape Talk, to mention a few broadcast platforms. During the campaign period, donations to Vision Mission increased by a staggering 60%.
Ster-Kinekor is committed to making a difference in the lives of others like Philani.
