The event was held at Madiba Street in Extension Three, where the centre is situated, to educate the community more about Disability Awareness Month.
“Since disability awareness is celebrated from November 1 to December 3, we hosted an event to educate the community on what the centre is about, people living with disabilities, challenges we face and projects we do.
Read: Disability movement thanks church
“It was also for us to show what projects they do at the centre including gardening, beading and book covers,” says member Amos Makhonjwa.
He explains further that the organisation was started in 1996 while the centre began operating in 2000 when it was discovered that there are a lot of people living with some form of disability in the area.
“Through the centre, we wanted to help create opportunities for our people as we believe that our disability is not our weakness,” says member Sthembiso Ndebele.
Some of the challenges that this community say they face include not enough housing being allocated for people living with disabilities, not enough disabled people getting employment and having government representatives who don’t understand them and their challenges.
The members also say they don’t want to be put together in the same category as seniors when there are issues as their challenges are not the same while they also want to be considered for employment in local projects just like able-bodied people.
Read: KwaThema Disability Club has a new academy
Furthermore the biggest trial faced by the group is that public transport and some public facilities are not accessible to most of them while they say children with disabilities are put away in special schools instead of being accommodated in mainstream schools.
“Our group of 25 participants meet and teach each other skills on a daily basis, while we help those who attend here to get bursaries or possible employment.
“What the centre is in need of the most is transport, food, and office equipment,” says Ndebele.
For more information on the centre contact secretary Anna Maseko on 076 782 8001.
