About
About us
This is an initiative which seeks to help blind people see their way into the society
Our Vision
To see a Zimbabwe which has knowledgeable, independent and socially active blind people. We are doing this by equipping them with skills which make them elated: that is, filled with the spirit of joy, pride and optimism. This enables them to fully participate in their societies; hence, Gateway to Elation!
Our Mission
Our mission is to envision a Zimbabwe where blind individuals are knowledgeable, independent, and socially active. We are dedicated to achieving this by equipping them with the skills and tools that foster elation. By empowering them to fully engage in their communities, we pave the way for a more inclusive and vibrant society.
This is an initiative which seeks to help blind people see their way into the society
About the founder
Founder, Robert Malunda on stage during a
training session.
My name is Robert Malunda. I was born sighted in Makhokhoba, Bulawayo; in south-west
Zimbabwe. I was affected by glaucoma at the age of 3 and I became totally blind.
Braille textbooks were scarce so I had to depend on my sighted classmates for most of my
academic needs. In 2011, a penfriend sent me a laptop from the UK and I began training
myself computer use with a voice synthesiser.
That opened a gateway to a lot of
opportunities for me because I could now read books and access information on my own.
With the help of a blind friend, I began to train myself orientation and mobility skills and
cane usage. This made me get out of isolation, it made me go far and wide. For example, in
2015, I won a scholarship for studying in India. I was at kanthari – International Institute for
Social Change, which is located in Kerala, south India. It offers a 12 month, scholarship
based leadership program for visionaries who have overcome adversity and who are keen to
drive ethical social change anywhere in the world.
I strongly believe blind people need the above mentioned skills in addition to social
interaction skills so that they are able to acquire knowledge, be independent and get out of
isolation. Gateway to Elation is the social venture which I want to use to bring these to all
blind people in Zimbabwe.
