The Wheels of Change organisation celebrated International Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Day on September 5 with a physical awareness campaign at the Vosloorus stadium, Johannesburg. The event included a wheelchair marathon and basketball.
The organisation was established in 2016 following a wheelchair race where people without mobility impairments, using wheelchairs, raced against people with disabilities. The aim? To promote awareness of the challenges faced by wheelchair users in an inaccessible community.
Wheels of Change CEO Thami Mankenkeza was inspired to start the organisation following requests from people who needed help. Mankenkeza, who became a wheelchair user in 2007 following a gunshot injury, donated his old chair and assisted other wheelchair users to repair theirs. He also managed to obtain job placements for some users.
However, he realised that what was desperately needed was an organisation that would empower people with disabilities, so that they could sustain themselves instead of relying primarily on donations.
Wheels of Change was the result and today it offers a wide range of programmes, including:
- Computer literacy and office administration
- Further education and training
- Driving lessons for people with disabilities
- Vehicle adaptations
- Work-readiness programmes and job placements
- Business skills and assistance with the registration of start-ups
- Advocacy, support groups, independent living, home-based care and counselling
- Learnership programmes
For more information, contact Wheels of Change CEO Thami Mankenkeza at 011 071 1625 or visit the website here.
