“This is super-duper fun!”
Little Morero Mogane (Gr 1) put a smile on guests and sponsors faces with his opinion of the High School Martie du Plessis’ brand new Wheelchair Training Track.
The school has a mainstream syllabus, but caters for learners with various disabilities, including learners that make use of wheelchairs.
Magda Wessels, head of the physiotherapy at the school, said at the launch on Monday 9 March the idea to build a Wheelchair Training Track stems form a visited to Switzerland.
“There I saw how those children enjoyed the challenge of a wheelchair track, and I realised in South Africa children with disabilities are often overprotected. We need to teach our children that they are not disabled, but differently abled. We need to teach them to go around as independently as possible.”
She came back with this dream of a wheelchair track at the school and with the help of donors and the school maintenance team, a track was designed and built.
Magda explains: “It is easy enough for the children in wheelchairs to move around on the school grounds, but at home and in the world out there, there are difficult terrains that they have to navigate. We wanted to improve their skills – teaching each child to optimally use his or her wheelchair.”
The paved path takes the user on an upward and downward slope, through some sandy patches and small steps as well as through gravel and along a grass patch to the end. There is also a transfer station that teaches the children how to get out and back into their wheelchairs.
After a demonstration by learners at the launch, some of the adults also took on the challenge. They realised quickly that what some of the older children do in a flash, takes some practice.
“Shortly after we started using the course, we could see the confidence and self-esteem of the children growing,” Magda said. “The teenagers straight away took to the challenge and now compete against themselves, taking their times on the course.”
Safety on the wheelchair track is very important, especially for the little ones that are getting used to the challenges of their wheelchair, so they wear safety helmets.
“Not only is this fun for the children, it also greatly improves their fitness, and they learn that they are able to complete challenges which they never thought of.”
Francois van Heerden, principal of Martie du Plessis, extended an invitation to other facilities in Bloemfontein that do rehabilitation to make use of this special course in their therapy.
“This is not only a wonderful educational tool for the school, but for the whole Bloemfontein comunity.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.