Centre in desperate need: “We only survive by the grace of God”

Twice a week, 22 disabled children come to the Tumahole Selfhelp Associa-tion for the Disabled ((TSAD) – a place that is a second home for most of them. It is a place where they are loved and cared for, where their special needs are looked after and they are educated and get a healthy meal. But the situation at TSAD is almost unbearable, due to vandalism and the inability of the law to bring an end to the constant theft at the centre.

During the Covid lockdown, the centre had to close, in line with government regulations.

Since then, almost everything has been stolen. But, thanks to Ngwathe’s executive mayor, Ms Victoria de Beer, for the first time since the vandalism started, the centre now has water for these children again.

The mayor heard about the desperate situation at the centre at the end of January. At the beginning of February, a plumbing team started repairing leaks and pipes to stop the centre from looking like a swimming pool inside. They have also connected to borehole water, thanks to Kleynex Trading Solutions.

The mayor then helped the centre with a laptop that the municipality had pro-mised them months ago but had never delivered to the centre.  

But still, the centre is in desperate need and the building unfit for purpose. When Gazette visited the centre, there was no electricity; all the wiring had been stolen. It is a daily struggle, says the personnel – not only to get funding but to care for the children while keeping a watchful eye out for criminals, stealing everything they can lay their hands on.  

The only solution for the personnel is to take all the groceries and equipment home when they leave at the end of the day, and then bring it back on the days that they are the centre. All the educational toys and teaching aid for children with special needs to the value of R110 000 from the Department of Education, donated to the centre, has been stolen during a burglary in December. The centre’s printer was stolen, all the mirrors, everything in the kitchen.  

With no funding at all and only a few sponsors willing to help, the non-profit organisation survive only by the grace of God, says personnel. “We do what we can, even without an income,” they say.

The centre started in the early 90s. Even though the past five years were tough, things were never as desperate as now. For how long the centre will be able to keep its doors open, is anybody’s guess. People willing to help in any way can contact Angelique on 082 564 6172.