A group of Somerset West friends has found a charitable way to enjoy a boys’ night out – donating a container to Sakhikamva Lethu (Hope for Disabled) in Makhaza.
On Wednesday 12 February, Sakhikamva Lethu received the container donated to them by Boys’ Night Project (BNP) in collaboration with Action for Blind and Disabled Children.
The group was started as a way for these guys to break away from work and family stress. It eventually grew to 250 members.
“It just made sense to pull our resources together and raise funds to help local charities,” said Shane McMeeking of BNP.
Ian Bottomley, founder of Action for Blind and Disabled Children, was introduced to the group by one of the members. His charity is dedicated to teaching information technology skills to individuals with disabilities, using custom-built software that caters for their specific requirements.
Bottomley also informed the group that another charity Sakhikamva Lethuwas in need of a container to serve as a venue for teaching its beneficiaries computer-related skills.
“Bottomley’s passion for helping the disabled resonated with our views and values and it was a good fit,” said McMeeking.
“I would like to thank BNP and Action for Blind and Disabled Children for the container,” said Thembisa Vani, founder of Sakhikamva Lethu. “I’m very happy because the pink of the container matches our T-shirts.”
She started Sakhikamva Lethuin 2016 as a way to empower the disabled community of Makhaza by upskilling them.
“We are learning to knit and sew,” said Vani.
“We will do gardening when the time is right.”
Vani fell ill with poliomyelitis at the age of five. The contagious viral disease left the 53-year-old unable to walk.
She was able to regain her ability to walk, but polio has left her with a limp. It was at school that Vani saw she was not the only person with a disability who had challenges, which largely went unaddressed because their needs were not prioritised.
“I saw so many disabled people and knew it was not right to hold such hurt inside that comes with a disability, so I decided to do something.”
She named her organisation Sakhikamva Lethu because she wanted to give the disabled community hope to overcome the struggles they were facing.
But as things stand, hope costs money and Vani said the community organisation struggles with providing groceries and securing equipment needed to upskill its members.
.To support Sakhikamva Lethu through donations or volunteering, contact Thembisa Vani on 073 802 2266 and help empower the disabled community of Makhaza.
