Wheelchairs rolled out to help Pretoria communities

More than100 wheelchairs were recently rolled out to organisations in Tshwane and the rest of the province.

The University of Pretoria’s (UP) Oxford Centre for Religion, Public Life, and Security in Africa and the Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) handed over the wheelchairs to nine schools, hospitals, and community organisations.

The handover was part of the annual Inter-Religious Week aimed at promoting peace and unity among diverse communities.

Wheelchairs for adults, children, and individuals with cerebral palsy were distributed.

According to UP spokesperson Sashlin Girraj, the wheelchairs were donated to Holy Cross Home, Community-oriented Substance
Use Programme (COSUP), Ithembelihle LSEN School, Kalafong Hospital, and Pretoria West Hospital, among others.

He said other recipients included Meerhof School, TIBA Services for the Blind, Tshwane Leadership Foundation, and Mamelodi Old Age Home.

Girraj added that the wheelchair ceremony was preceded by a public lecture delivered by Professor Huei Kai from Taiwan’s Nanhua University as part of the Inter-Religious Week.

“Twelve other wheelchairs will in the future be used to help improve access to and mobility on UP’s campuses, and access to UP’s occupational therapy and physiotherapy departments in particular.”

Girraj said this was all thanks to international funding from the BLIA, which has over 170 active BLIA chapters worldwide providing help to communities in need.

He said the Fo Guang Shan Nan Hua Temple in Bronkhorstspruit and the Pretoria Chapter of BLIA handled the logistics of the wheelchair distribution.

“BLIA Pretoria’s vice chair, Professor Alice Chan, thanked Professor Huei Kai.”

Kai, who is also the deputy abbot of the Fo Guang Shan Monastery, is touring South African universities as part of an outreach project and spoke on current and future studies related to life and death.

Associate Professor Maniraj Sukdaven of UP’s Department of Religion Studies said he was both grateful and overcome with emotion when he first walked into the hall where the rows and rows of wheelchairs were displayed.

“A big thanks to the BLIA for allowing us as academics and university staff to make a tangible difference in the lives of others,” he said.

“It is great to share in the good that is part of life, as it helps to foster a greater understanding between different communities and religions.”

Sukdaven thanked UP’s staff, as well as the marketing and occupational therapy departments for their vital contributions.

He said these teams had identified and screened potential wheelchair recipients over several months.

Professor Kitty Uys, the head of UP’s Department of Occupational Therapy, explained that wheelchairs are much more than mere assistive devices or modes of transport for people with mobility issues.

“They are a tool for empowerment and a gateway to independence, self-determination, and inclusion.

“A wheelchair offers individuals the ability to actively participate in life, fostering curiosity and control over their surroundings.”

She said mobility is essential for engaging in everyday activities such as self-care, work, school, and leisure.

According to Uys, it plays a significant role in maintaining a person’s quality of life.

She said that without access to independent mobility, people with motor impairments face limitations that can hinder their ability to explore and learn.

“This restriction often results in social isolation, apathy, and reduced cognitive and psychosocial development,” Uys added.

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