One of the issues that mothers raised during our group sessions was the need for assistive devices. In most cases children who need devices such as wheelchairs and walking braces receive these for free from the South African government. The process however to get such a device is tiringly bureaucratic, vague and long, which sometimes results in wasted opportunities. Others have been able to get a wheelchair from government but face another issue after a few years. The child grows and doesn’t fit properly in the chair. Though the opportunity exists for them to get the device adjusted at a certain hospital, more often than not mothers do net get this done. When asked why, the complexity of their daily realities becomes visible.
For one, the wheelchair needs to be taken along to the hospital. This poses the first problem as wheelchairs are generally not accepted in public transport buses, due to impatience of taxi drivers. This means that they either have to hire a taxi, or they have to take somebody along who can assist with loading the wheelchair into the bus. This raises the second issue which is financial resources. A lack of sufficient income prevents most mothers to hire a car. Moreover, as the child also needs to be taken along to the hospital, having a chaperon in public transport means a quadrupled taxi fare; i.e. for themselves, their child, their chaperon and for the wheelchair itself. In these difficult circumstances it is no surprise mothers choose to not get the device adjusted. This results however in mothers retreating into their home due to a lack of mobility as well as physical issues for mothers as they carry the child on their back despite their weight.
Although mothers in Khayelitsha are focusing on setting up income generating activities, they hope to be able to raise donations in exchange for their sewing products to accommodate all children in their group with the needed devices. And also to assist each other financially with getting the available devices adjusted.
For one, the wheelchair needs to be taken along to the hospital. This poses the first problem as wheelchairs are generally not accepted in public transport buses, due to impatience of taxi drivers. This means that they either have to hire a taxi, or they have to take somebody along who can assist with loading the wheelchair into the bus. This raises the second issue which is financial resources. A lack of sufficient income prevents most mothers to hire a car. Moreover, as the child also needs to be taken along to the hospital, having a chaperon in public transport means a quadrupled taxi fare; i.e. for themselves, their child, their chaperon and for the wheelchair itself. In these difficult circumstances it is no surprise mothers choose to not get the device adjusted. This results however in mothers retreating into their home due to a lack of mobility as well as physical issues for mothers as they carry the child on their back despite their weight.
Although mothers in Khayelitsha are focusing on setting up income generating activities, they hope to be able to raise donations in exchange for their sewing products to accommodate all children in their group with the needed devices. And also to assist each other financially with getting the available devices adjusted.
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