Enter the ‘magical world of the blind’ for a good cause with Dinner in the Dark
Hein Wagner promises ‘an eye-opening experience’ at Dinner in the Dark, an event to raise funds for the Hein Wagner Academy.
Clarence Ford speaks with Hein Wagner, founder of the Hein Wagner Academy, Frederika Manefeldt, campus manager and Ncebakazi Tyalisi, cyber security student.
Listen to the interview in the audio below.
Despite being born blind, Hein Wagner is a man with a vision to leave the world better than he found it.
He formed the Hein Wagner Academy in 2019, a training facility that specialises in the needs of the visually impaired.
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He was inspired to create this space to promote the abilities of the blind.
“I knew my struggles in landing a job as a blind person. To convince people I could do something.”
- Hein Wagner, Hein Wagner Academy founder
They currently have 50 students and offer courses from marketing to cyber security.
“Our screen readers enable us to be very independent, so we don’t really need eyes.”
- Ncebakazi Tyalisi, cyber security student
Wagner says to keep doing this work, they rely on partnerships and the support of corporates.
“Training blind people is not cheap.”
- Hein Wagner, Hein Wagner Academy founder
They will be hosting a Dinner in the Dark in Cape Town to raise money for the academy.
The dining experience will feature live music from an all-blind band, and the room is so dark that people feel what it is like to be blind.
“We are really going to simulate the magical world of the blind.”
- Hein Wagner, Hein Wagner Academy founder
“It will be an eye-opening experience.”
- Hein Wagner, Hein Wagner Academy founder
If you would like to take part, you can email them at info@heinwagner.org or check out their website.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.