Freedom for housebound patients
Since 2011, Amangwe Village in KwaMbonambi has run a wheelchair project which sees the organisation donate wheelchairs to needy community members
THE lives of rural pensioners and disabled people have been dramatically transformed from one simple action – the donation of a wheelchair.
Since 2011, Amangwe Village in KwaMbonambi has run a wheelchair project which sees the organisation donate wheelchairs to needy community members.
The project was started by Stacey Russell, a US Peace Corps volunteer, who recognised the need of the many bedridden elderly and disabled people in rural communities.
An agreement was signed with a Durban NGO which provided wheelchairs free of charge to Amangwe.
Sadly, owing to financial constraints, the NGO could no longer continue with the project.
In 2014, an agreement between Amangwe Village and Richards Bay Rotary was signed and the wheelchair project once again gained momentum.
The wheelchair project is one of the services offered by Amangwe’s Home Based Care Programme, which also includes giving primary health care to patients and their families at home, monitoring the patient support groups, and HIV/AIDS awareness.
The wheels in motion
During the 2016-17 financial year, Amangwe’s Home Based Care Co-ordinator, Amose Mtshali, together with the current US Peace Corps volunteer, Betty Pasela, distributed 17 wheelchairs to needy community members.
Before wheelchairs are issued, patients are identified by Mtshali and the Home Based Carers.
The patients and their families are then taught how to use, maintain and look after the wheelchairs.
Strict patient records are kept by Amangwe and the wheelchairs are returned to the organisation when no longer required by a patient.
As wheelchairs are returned to Amangwe, new patients are identified and issued with a wheelchair.
The wheelchairs have become a lifeline to many rural patients who, when issued with one, have been excited as they can now go to church, no longer need to be pushed to a pension pay point in a wheelbarrow, and can sit outside and feel the wind and sun on their faces.
‘Amangwe is grateful to Rotary Richards Bay which has supported us over the years and enables us to continue issuing wheelchairs to patients in need.
‘This makes a huge difference in their lives,’ said Amangwe Manager Erna Steynberg.
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