Hout Bay Rotary Club is a flourishing Club of about 35 members in the suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa.
John Bissell visited in February 2025 with his daughter, Joanna. He also joined a visit to the Imazami Yethu (‘IY’) Township for a day’s eye testing programme.
Primary School learners have been receiving spectacles over the past four years, sponsored by the Hout Bay Club. The schools involved include Disa, Hout Bay, Kronendal, Orenjekloof and Sentinel Primaries. The Club works with an optometry partner ‘The Jonga Trust’ – a specialist eye-testing NGO – and 2,000 children were tested in 2024.
Testing covers all Grade 1 to 7 learners (in alternative years 1, 3, 5, 7), plus any other students identified as possibly having an eyesight issue. Children are able to choose from a range of fashionable new frames; lenses are produced by a local laboratory at a reduced cost. In addition, children found to have eye infections are given eye drops at no charge. Should the glasses be lost or damaged they are replaced free of charge.
Hout Bay Rotary Club is committed to giving these children have a better chance of learning, and the annual cost to the Rotary Club of this programme is approximately 150,000 Rand [£7,000]; it is generously supported by local and overseas donors.
Poynton and District Rotary Club have donated £500.00 [about 11,000 Rand] and will join the names of the other sponsors.
John Bissell plans to visit Cape Town in January/February 2026 and will attend another ‘eye-camp’.