MBOMBELA – A group of Belgian tourists with physical disabilities recently got a taste of Africa’s magic during a visit to the Lowveld.

The party, which was 13 strong, included people with muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, paraplegia and blindness.

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Roeland Gabriel, the internationally registered field guide who accompanied the group, said he was delighted to see how they encouraged one another to make a U-turn in their minds, hence the name U-Turn Projects, the non-profit Belgian NGO which made the trip possible.
“The group is like a chain and they don’t allow a single link to break,” said Gabriel. He added that their approach has yielded some very positive results.

“Some take the option to give up and accept that they are going to be wheelchair-bound for the rest of their lives, but not this group,” he said. “They don’t show sympathy, but rather build one another up.”

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A doctor, a physio and a paramedic took 14 days of leave to join the group. “Is was such a noble gesture,” he said.

The journey in the Lowveld took them to Graskop, where they were encouraged to pitch their own tents.
“The more self-sustainable they are, the better,” Gabriel said.

They then embarked on a trip up the stairs to God’s Window. “No matter how difficult, they never left one of their members behind. Even if four people had to carry a wheelchair-bound member up the stairs,” said Gabriel.
Exhausted, they spent the night at Panorama Rest Camp.
After a trip to Blyderivierpoort they spent two days in the Kruger National Park and saw the Big 5 twice. Their last stop was in eManzana (Badplaas).
Even though there was ample accommodation, some members still chose to sleep in their tents before heading back to Johannesburg and then home.
The founder of U-Turn Projects, Glenn Crynen, established it when his best friend, Luc Tyru was badly injured in a car crash and was left wheelchair-bound.
Crynen decided to work with Crynen to help him make the most of life, despite being a paraplegic.
The two first competed in a 5 000-kilometre Australian mountain-biking race, and then they climbed the Alps, sleeping in a hammock on the side of the mountains at night.

“The activity, the challenges and the refusal to stay trapped to a comfort zone have been wonderful for his psychological rehabilitation,” said Gabriel.
Trips like these are thanks to Crynen who decided to help people with disabilities around the globe to meet the challenges of having a disability, and to live life to the fullest.

It was U-Turn’s first visit to South Africa, and the Lowveld, where the group enjoyed an array of activities including mountain climbing, hiking and white-water rafting. mention a few. They already look forward to their next trip to the Lowveld.