QuadPara receives new disability friendly building
Thanks to a donation of R600 000 by the South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT), a new six-room Capacity–building and Care Centre has been developed on a property adjacent to the Ashley Village Self–help Centre.
QUADPARA Association KZN in Ashley will now be able to accommodate more quadriplegics and paraplegics from disadvantaged rural areas who are often discharged from hospitals without rehabilitation or support mechanisms after a donation from South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT).
With a donation of R600 000, a new six-room capacity–building and care centre was developed on a property adjacent to the Ashley Village Self–help Centre especially for people with severe physical disabilities from rural parts of the province.
CEO of Quadpara Association in KZN, Cedrick Hedgcock, said since the Victor Daitz Foundation bought them that property, they have been trying to raise funds to build a disability friendly house.
This project was led by Project Build, a charitable trust which aims to improve the quality of life for its advantaged communities by addressing their needs through the provision of educational and community facilities and assisting individuals to develop a sense of personal worth, dignity and competence.
“This new building will help us a lot as in 2009 we have been taking in disabled people from the rural areas who have had no rehabilitation for four weeks where we teach them body management, work skills and living confidently with their disability.
“We could take only two people a month but now we will be able to accommodate eight people,” said Hedgcock.
He said these workshops have been nothing but a success as people go back to their community with confidence and are able to share their knowledge with other disabled people.
SAMCT Trustee, Shabir Chohan, said, “Because of the high cost of care and assistance, all too often disadvantaged individuals – and especially those from outlying areas of the province – suffering from spinal cord injuries end up leading less than functional lives and fail to receive the support they deserve after such injuries.”
He said he was confident the newly developed Capacity building and Care Centre would make an immediate and positive impact on this particularly needy and vulnerable sector of society in KwaZulu–Natal.
Ashveer Singh, who also attended counselling QuadPara Association of KZN when he was still young and introduced QuadPara to Project Build said the Ashley Village Self–Help Centre is very close to his heart.
“I was disabled after a car accident when I was 10 years old. I learnt a lot of things in this place. I was taught how to hold a cup of tea, take a bath and how to live a positive life with disability. Today I am employed and I am not ashamed of being in a wheelchair,” he said.
The QuadPara Association of KwaZulu–Natal has been assisting disabled members through informal peer counselling, interaction and advice since 1992 and its Ashley Village project has grown into one of the most successful assisted accommodation facilities in South Africa.
Do you want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message (not an sms) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5409.
You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Highway Mail WhatsApp number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts
