Charity
THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDEPENDENT LIVING FACILITIES AND A COMPUTER DIGITAL VILLAGE FOR QUADRIPLEGICS AND PARAPLEGICS IN DURBANVILLE, CAPE TOWN
It is well known that people with disabilities in South Africa have historically been socially and economically isolated by discriminatory attitudes and policies. Quadriplegics have an impairment which limits the use of their hands, arms and legs and paraplegics, limitations of their legs. Physical disability resulting in mobility impairment results in exclusion from society and QASA strives to develop products, projects and services to develop capacity amongst its members to offer opportunity to integrate.
QASA requests funding the renovations of the newly acquired property 5 Newhaven (Durbanville, Cape Town) into a Self Help Centre and Digital Village and for the provision of accessible transport. This will ensure independent living for four quadriplegics and skill development and employment solutions for the disabled community of Cape Town.
Project Motivation
QASA is committed to promoting independent living for quadriplegics and paraplegics. With limited access to education and the formal labour market, and in many cases reliant on government's disability grant, quadriplegics and paraplegics are often left with little choice but to be dependent on family members for a home.
QASA has a unique solution; the development of Self Help Centre's which allow wheelchair users to live independently of their families without having to live in a "home care" type facility.The philosophy behind a Self Help Centre is that the residents are entirely responsible for the management and daily running of the Self Help Centre and make all decisions in respect of hiring staff and providing for the needs of the residents. The houses provide wheelchair users a with place to lead independent lives, often as a stepping stone to people being able to move into their own homes and live entirely independently.
In South Africa there are 16 Self Help Centres affiliated to QASA, which provide homes to at least 88 quadriplegics and 12 paraplegics. Each house functions independently, is successful in their own resource mobilisation and develop their own projects for sustainability.
QASA is fortunate to have a relationship Pick ‘n Pay who are also committed to improving the lives of quadriplegics and paraplegics. Through the Pick ‘n Pay Quad Squad Day campaign QASA has been able to acquire a property in Durbanville, Cape Town which QASA intends converting into Self Help Centre and computer digital village.
The Self Help Centre will be home to 4 quadriplegics and their care givers. The house will also double as a Digital Village; a computer training and employment solutions centre for persons with disabilities. There is lack of skills and employment opportunities amongst persons with disabilities. As well as offering free IT training, the centre provides support with compiling a professional CV and access to job opportunities.
There is currently no accessible public transport for wheelchair users in South Africa. Residents of the Self Help Centre and learners attending the computer classes require daily transport. Part of this proposal is the request for an accessible bus which would provide a transport a transport infrastructure for this project.
Project Requirements
- Quadriplegics and paraplegics have different accommodation needs to the able bodied. Wheelchair users, for example, require that the accommodation facility have ramps as they cannot manoeuvre up and down stairs. There are also many modifications that can be made to bathrooms for it to accommodate the needs of persons with disabilities.
- Wheelchair users also have different transport needs to able bodied. Vehicles require the fitting of a ramp and hoist so that the wheelchair user can enter the vehicle.
Project Objectives & Goals
The project aims to provide accessible accommodation for persons with disabilities and generate an income stream for QASA contributing to the sustainability of the organisation.
- Convert 5 Newhaven into Self Help Centre and Digital Village
- To provide independent living for 4 quadriplegics
- To provide computer skills and employment solutions to the persons with disabilities in the Western Cape
- To find employment for members of the disabled community of the Western Cape
- To allow disabled persons to live functional lives where they are fully integrated into society
