The LumoHawk Foundation (Joel Stransky’s Foundation) partnered with the Anna Foundation during the Absa Cape Epic as part of Vision 2020 and have tested nearly 100 children’s eyesight along the famous route.
“It is estimated that around 20% of children in South Africa have eye problems which can have a huge impact on a child’s education. Vision 2020 involves testing the eyes of underprivileged children and supplying bespoke spectacles where necessary,” said Stransky from the Absa Cape Epic which he is riding for the 10th time.
Students from the Optometry Faculty at Wits University did the eye testing this year and Focus Optical provided the spectacles for those children who required them.
“The LumoHawk Foundation’s focus has always been around education and Vision 2020 will play a major role in ensuring that more of our future leaders receive a full education and are able to live up to their dreams,” he said.
Stransky added they also recorded the children’s current academic average and the hope is to return to the same places next year and once again record the marks of the kids in order to see what impact has been made.
“Eye sight plays such an important part in a child being able to perform academically and being part of Vision 2020 will benefit all children that are part of the Anna Foundation. If a child is diagnosed as having issues with their sight and can wear glasses, their life will radically improve,” said Anna Brom, Founder of the Anna Foundation.
Brom’s all-encompassing holistic approach to building a solid community of support around the child has proven success over the past 14 years. Her goal of building the child’s self-esteem and self-worth are evident in the success of children who are integrated into Anna Foundation programmes and there are reliable statistics showing educational progression in their literacy and communication skills.
“I’m so pleased that the LumoHawk Foundation will be benchmarking academic improvement annually, as this fits with our philosophy that measurement is important. Over a five-year period, our literacy results on rural farms in the Western Cape show between a 20%-40% improvement,” said Brom.
Absa joined in on the initiative as well, matching the funds raised by the Anna Foundation through donations and giving each rider a complimentary pink rider's jersey for Wednesday’s Stage 3 around Oak Valley. The day was a celebration of pink as the riders supported the cause.
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