Centre needs your help
KwaThema - The people with disabilities at the Kopano Disabled Movement Centre are using their gardening skills and handiwork to sustain the centre and themselves.
The centre was formed 21 years ago to offer support to people in the area who are living with disabilities.
The chairperson of the centre, Sithembiso Mdebele (50), says the centre offers life skills training, handiwork in designing beads as well as crafts and gardening.
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“We don’t want people to feel sorry for us because we are physically challenged.
“We have the brains and intelligence to work like other people.
“We were only born different.”
He adds that they sell some of their produce to the keep the centre running.
Mdebele says that the center is going through financial difficulties.
“We currently do not have any funding support and were are forced to depend entirely on the gardens.
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“We use the money we make from the sales to buy food and electricity and to provide transport for the members who stay far away.
“Sometimes they are forced to walk the long distances to the centre when we cannot afford it.
“We also share some with poor households and other centres in the area.
“We are proud that we are also able to feed others through our gardens and would like to keep the programme going,” he says.
Mdebele says they are pleading for the help of business people, the agricultural department and anyone who can assist them with donations for gardening tools, seed and other tools to help keep the centre running.
Anyone who can assist can contact them on 060 3024338.
