Scores of people living with disabilities in Nyanga and surrounding areas received clothing on Saturday 8 October.
The event was organised by local organisation Qhakaza Disability Group (QDG) and was held at the Shawco (Student’s Health and Welfare Centres Organisation) building in Zwelitsha. More than 60 disabled people benefited.
Among others they received socks, shoes, towels, gloves, nappies and flip flops. The clothing was donated by one of the country’s leading clothing retailer.
Qhakaza is a non-governmental organisation (NGO which is representing and fighting for the rights of disabled people in the metro.
QDG president Peterson Dlamini described the event as a way of supporting and showing love to people living with disabilities.
“We’ve noticed that many disabled people are struggling and they don’t have enough money to buy some of the things. So, as an executive for the organisation we went around appealing for the donations and Woolworths came to our rescue. The aim is to help each other,” he said.
Dlamini, who is wheelchair-bound, said their plan is to encourage all the people living with disabilities to come out and be active in society. He said most households hide their disabled children from the community.
“Families must stop locking their disabled children inside the house when they are going to work. Let the disabled child play with other children outside,” he appealed, citing that some families misuse the children’s government grant by buying unnecessary items.
One of the beneficiaries Lusanda Vellem, from Khayelitsha, said she received shoes. She described the event as helpful, especially to some of them who cannot afford to buy certain items.
“I was just invited by the members of Qhakaza. And it was my first time attending such an event. It was great. We were just chatting and sharing jokes about our challenges,” said Vellem.
