Blind Dinner shows what it is like to live in darkness
The organisers of the unique Blind Dinner Experience, Yannick and Melanie Schweighardt announced last week this year’s dinners are scheduled from 27 June to 02 July.
Yannick is the La Bonne Table Chef of the Year 2015. Last year he and wife Melanie conceived the idea to bring the plight of visually impaired people to the attention of all Namibians by hosting a series of sponsored dinners where everything is done in total darkness. This is to familiarise normal seeing people with the conditions blind people have to deal with every day.
The monumental success of the inaugural Blind Dinner last year prompted the cooking couple to host another such event this year. But making the dinner a reality depends on support from companies and individuals. Funds are raised by selling dinner tickets, either to individuals at N$500 per person, or to companies who can book a whole table of ten. A total of 36 guests can be accommodated in one seating every evening for six days.
As the name suggests, the Blind Dinner Experience occurs in utter darkness where visually impaired persons , trained as “waitrons” guide and serve the visually-abled guests a gastronomical experience of heightened senses, creating an almost esoteric human exchange. Complemented by local artists’ musical and poetic performances, the Blind Dinner Experience is a unique feast for the senses aiming to change society’s perception of the visually impaired.
“The Blind Dinner Experience of 2015 was a great success and managed to raise about N$41,000 for the Namibian Federation of the Visually Impaired to promote social integration in all fields of life and influence public policies governing education, health and employment of the visually impaired. A good beginning for social change, progress and development is to promote a positive attitude towards visually impaired people” said Yannick adding that every business is invited to participate in this opportunity to contribute to Namibia’s spirit of inclusion and social cohesion.
