Paraplegics centre in need of your help

The Self Help Association of Paraplegics (SHAP) is an organisation situated in Mofolo North which offers services to people living with disabilities who live in Soweto and the surrounding areas.

SHAP was started by the late Friday Mavuso with other paraplegics, with the aim of addressing challenges experienced by people living with disabilities in South Africa.

These challenges included poverty, unemployment and health issues amongst things.

Through fundraising from the community and business sector, Mavuso managed to establish and build the SHAP centre.

The main aim of the centre was to train and prepare people with disabilities for employment in the labour market and to involve its members in sporting activities.

SHAP built an athletic track and basketball court to cater for extramural activities for people with disabilities and also develop sports persons to participate in national and international sporting codes.

The centre further aimed to increase the participation of people with disabilities in arts and culture activities.

Committee member of the Centre, Dan Kekana said: “Currently, the centre is not in a good condition and is in serious need of renovations.

“However, there are about 80 people living with disabilities who are still involved in the only surviving project of sewing that is being kept alive by Rob Wyly Trading.

“The centre finds itself in such a bad state purely because of poor management in the past.”

He said that a lack of funding also contributed to the current state of affairs which are things they need assistance with in order to be able to get back on track.

The centre currently is in need of roofing repairs, plumbing (taps, drains and toilets), fire extinguishers, window replacement, doors, sidewalk paving and the entrance and floors need to be tiled in the reception area and in four offices.

The centre also has transportation problems as their buses are old and need to be fixed urgently to transport the staff as they mostly find it hard using public transport.

However, in future SHAP is looking at introducing wheelchair manufacturing and repairs so that people living with disability can have this service closer to them.

“We wish the community can be more involved in our educational projects so that they can support our children living with disabilities.

“We also need clinics and housing that can accommodate us amongst other necessities, so that we too can be comfortable and live like other citizens of this country,” said Kekane.Anyone who can assist the centre can contact 011 982 3714.