Different stakeholders from Mamelodi and parents gathered together at Denlyn Mall to participate in the Fun and Colour Walk on Friday in a bid to raise funds for the Mamelodi Association for people with disabilities.
The fundraising event has been organised by the centre together with different stakeholders to help the centre function every day.
Chairperson of the centre Vusi Mathebula said the centre has lots of challenges, and the fun-raising events will help ease their daily activities.
He said funds raised would go to the centre and it would help run the centre and benefit people with disabilities.
“We are raising funds to keep people with disabilities busy and away from the street because most of the people with disabilities coming to the centre come from disadvantaged families,” said Mathebula.
“The centre has so many challenges, and to run the centre, we depended on the Department of Social Development, who used to fund the centre for a full year, but now the DSP is funding us for three months and signing another contractor,” said Mathebula.
The fund-raising event will help ease things for the centre.
“We can’t solely rely on the Department of Social Development and we appreciate their efforts, but we also have to look for easy ways to raise funds for the centre.”
He said the event was also to raise awareness about people living with disabilities.
“Many people, families, and friends attend the walk, which provides them the opportunity to really talk and mingle,” he said.
Ward 67 councillor Sizwe Tsiane, who also participated in the fun walk, said “We are here to support this initiative to fundraise for the disability centre”
He said the centre is caring for the disadvantaged in society, for those who are disabled and don’t have enough resources to go around.
“As the community and young people have organised ourselves to raise funds and embarked on a colour and fun walk. It is part of health awareness because we also need to realise that it is important for young people and disabled people to keep fit,” said Tsiane.
Tsiane further called on everyone who cares about this community to come forward and assist with any form of donation.
“The donations will make sure people with disabilities are in a conducive area where they can be taught, learn in a healthy environment, and live a long life, which is what we wish for them.”
Mathebula added that the participants bought stickers for R50, and in return received a bag and squeeze bottle and sold food and refreshments as part of the fundraising event.
Community members also engaged with disabled people by playing soccer and indigenous games with them.
The event started at Denlyn Mall at 07:00 and ended at the centre later.
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