South African media personality, Refilwe Modiselle is doing her best to help children who are suffering with poor eye-sight, due to having albinism. As someone who has advocated for the albino community throughout her career, the actress has taken it upon herself to start an initiative to provide reading glasses for those who are struggling in school.

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Taking to Twitter on Monday, 23 November 2020, Refilwe called upon low vision specialists, optometrist or brands to partner up with to give spectacles when possible, to kids with albinism from disadvantaged situations who can’t afford to purchase them themselves. Drawing from her own experiences, she related to the feeling of not being able to see whilst in class, as it is known that those who have albinism have poor eye-sight.

She stated, “I pray a brand, optometrist, specialist or manufacturer hears me out because it cuts deep when I hear that there are kids with albinism struggling in school because of eyesight & with no help or affordability for specs. One mustn’t have an education because you can’t see or read.”

DJ Fresh came forward as one of the people willing to donate towards the cause, as he pledged five glasses for five children. Many of her followers thanked her for starting the initiative, with some sharing their own experiences of having substandard education purely based on the fact that they couldn’t see.

Responding to one tweep, Refilwe stated, “Not every child with albinism is supported even in school when it comes to ensuring their needs are met. How many children out there are not even motivated by school because nobody understands they can’t see. I feel your pain. The most one can do it start with the little ones.”

The actress went on to explain that as someone who has suffered the consequences of not being catered for as an albino student, she has had no choice but to take on the task of helping others, all by herself. She shared that although many people have advised her to appeal for it to be a governmental initiative, she wasn’t willing to wait around for others to help, but would rather do it herself.

“Guys a lot of people have this idea that you need to turn to government for everything. Sometimes you have to help yourself first because we all know you’ll climb Mount Kilimanjaro before you see anything actually happen. At times you honestly gotta take the lead. Guys ha ke Mother Theresa I can’t help everyone, I try where God has given me the strength to. Bear with me. If I can’t, I can’t…. Asseblief.”, she concluded.