Today's official launch of the Aid Centre by Sešego Cares and its partners, marks another milestone in our endeavour to alleviate the plight of the Disabled people.
Sešego Cares believes that disability should not be a hindrance but a stepping stone to encourage people to reach majestic heights of self fulfillment. As a result, their partnership with its key strategic partners; The Robert and Claire Peter Foundation, Absa, AFGO Workshop, Johnson Controls and The Rotary Club of Northcliff will certainly go a long way towards raising awareness, aiding the disabled and changing the attitudes of our society about the disabled.
Caption left: The Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Ms Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya who gave a key note address at the launch
Caption right: Venete Klein, Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer; Joanne von Zeuner, Chairperson of Sešego Cares and Minister Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya, Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities.
Over the last fifteen years Rotary Club Northcliff in Johannesburg and the Rotary Club of Rushmoor in the United Kingdom have collaborated in sourcing over 20,000 used wheelchairs, shipping them to South Africa and distributing them free of charge to disabled people who cannot afford to buy a wheelchair. In partnership with the Rotary Club of Northcliff, Sešego Cares has donated over 3,000 wheelchairs to disabled people in poor communities.
Update 23 March 2010 - Sešego Cares makes mobility possible
In commemoration of Human Rights Day, the Rotary Club of Northcliff and Rushmoor celebrated their great 11 year partnership with a gala event at Randclub in Johannesburg on Saturday, 20th March 2010, where the handover of the 20 000th wheelchair was witnessed by the Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, Ms Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya N.
Various wheelchairs hand-over events were also arranged in Soweto and Eldorado park on Friday,19 March 2009. Seven members and two wives from the Rotary Club of Rushmoor in United Kingdom travelled to South Africa to be part of the celebrations.
Through its partnership with the Rotary Club Northcliff, Sešego Cares was able to reach over 3000 disabled people over the past 3 years throughout Southern Africa, helping them to become happily mobile beneficiaries, who can now be able to be integrated into society. Used wheelchairs are collected and shipped by the Rotary Club of Rushmoor in United Kingdom to Northcliff. At AFGO workshop, these are repaired by Rotarians and then donated to the identified beneficiaries in Southern Region. Sešego Cares has donated R325 000 to date to this partnership.
It is a sad fact that there is a tremendous need of wheelchairs in Southern Africa and this is particularly true within our previously disadvantaged population.
Beneficiaries were reached in many cities and towns ranging from Cape Town, Richards Bay, White River, Naboomspruit, Port Elizabeth, Umtata and even across our borders to villages such as Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Zambia.
But wheelchairs are not the only commodities distributed, many other ancillary items have been received and dispersed; hundreds of crutches, walking aids and the like, of which one very important aspect of the project is that all items are donated at no cost whatsoever to the end user.
Joanne Von Zeuner, Sešego Cares Chairman added that: "The dignity of the less able should be respected by all, especially by their more able-bodied counterparts. In reality, the situation is quite different. There are far too many disabled people within the poorer, unemployed sectors of the community who do not have a basic human right, namely mobility. The 20 000th wheelchairs will make this (mobility) possible to such individuals. Let us go on building the bonds of friendship and Ubuntu through cooperation and mutual respect".
View gallery | Read brief history
The School Aid partnership has enabled the support of learners, educators and schools in township areas of South Africa. http://school-aid.org/
Lesedeng Learning Academy is situated in one of the poorest communities of Orange Farm, Sešego Cares in collaboration with corporate sponsors renovated classrooms, donated desks, blackboards, desks and chairs at a cost of R1,6 million. Phase II of this project will entail the renovation of the administration block, a block of classrooms and the school wall fence. This project has both economical and social significance given that the majority in this community is unemployed and those who are fortunate enough to be employed do menial jobs with very low income. The crime rate in the area is very high due to the high unemployment rate. View gallery