Lientjie Mentz
The staff at the Tswellang Special School are helping children with a variety of disabilities to become the best version of themselves.
The school, which currently accommodates 275 learners from across the Free State, has shared that all of these children have specific needs.
Of these, 101 learners are dependent on wheelchairs – and 53 use assistive devices like walking frames or crutches.
Rozanne Loots, occupational therapist at the school, says the cost of procurement and maintenance for these devices are enormous.
“Although the school receives a subsidy from the Department of Education, we do not receive any additional financial support to render optimal services and to care for our learners,” she said on Thursday, 8 May, at an open day at the school.
“Assistive devices like wheelchairs, walking frames, crutches, orthotics and splints, in addition to assistive technology equipment and hearing aids, as well as consumables like nappies, are extremely expensive. We are dependent on fundraising and marketing events.”
Apart from the devices, the school also forms part of the National School Nutrition Programme, whereby all learners have access to breakfast in the morning and a balanced meal at lunchtime.
Tswellang runs two projects to assist learners. The first is the wheelchair project, whereby the support of the public and businesses is asked to help replace the learners’ wheelchairs every two to three years.
“At the current replacement cycle, this results in approximately 20 wheelchairs per year,” Loots explains.
Several of the learners also require specialised and supportive seating due to the severity of their disabilities. These wheelchairs can cost anything between R4 550 and R9 320.
As far as the other initiative is concerned, in 2020 the Sewing Machine Project was started with a donation of secondhand machines. In 2021, the school received another donation of brand-new sewing machines.
At the end of 2022, the school started the Sewing Machine Ownership Programme, through which certain learners were identified to take a machine home after leaving school to start their own business.
The school is now using Janome 52 function sewing machines worth just under R3 000 each.
Loots explains this project supports learners who are unable to work in the open labour market due to their disabilities, but are able to provide an extra income to their families.
Since 2023, learners are introduced to sewing skills from the age of 15 during occupational therapy group sessions. One learner, Lebohang Selepe, attended a one-year sewing training course at the Maruoa Sewing Academy in Bergman Square.
The needs of learners at Tswellang are truly varied.
Lehlohonolo Karelse is one of 40 learners at Tswellang to make use of specialised computer systems to access the curriculum and to learn. He does not have the ability of speech and is dependent on a computer to help him communicate and do his schoolwork. He operates his computer with a joystick and a big tap-mouse.
Loots says that at the moment, around R40 000 is needed for the procurement of specialised assistive technology for different learners.
To become involved, send email to tswellangmarketing@gmail.com.
