Established over 15 years ago Timion, a non-profit organisation which manufactures equipment for children with cerebral palsy, finally opened the doors to their newly-constructed building in Dolphin Drive, Jeffreys Bay, where they plan to help more children.
Before establishing Timion in 2007, Daniel Meyer and his wife Anika, a physiotherapist, embarked on humanitarian work in Sierra Leone and Northern Iraq.
With the desire to help children with disabilities, the couple moved to the Eastern Cape in 2007, since they knew the need in terms of disability was great in the province.
They settled in Jeffreys Bay where they had many friends who were willing to support them on their journey.
Daniel said that soon after they arrived they began working with government therapists, to pioneer cerebral palsy clinics in the township of Kwazakhele and at the Uitenhage Hospital.
During their visits to the clinics and hospitals, Daniel realised that there was a severe lack of specialised equipment for people with disabilities.
“With my background as an orthotist and working with wood, I decided to start building disability equipment. I started off simply by buying do-it-yourself tools and building the equipment in the garden of our home, while Anika sewed the material needed for the equipment,” said Daniel.
He said that they then delivered the equipment to the clinics and met with the children and local therapists where they would fit the equipment to the children.
Daniel said that the standing frame was one of the first pieces of equipment he built, and has continued be the most-used equipment they make.
He said since 2007 their equipment has greatly improved and has branched out to at least 18 different pieces, including the posture chair, reverse rollator and sidelyer, to name a few.
Since they needed more space they moved to a garage in Drommedaris Street, which they used as a workshop to continue building equipment.
Despite receiving assistance from many international volunteers who have joined their organisation, he said that they quickly realised that demand in the production of the equipment was overwhelming.
In 2009, they employed their first full-time staff member for equipment production. With a growing number of production staff members, Daniel said that they quickly outgrew the garage and were off to find larger premises. Since, they have moved at least twice.
“We soon realised that in addition to needing more space in the workshop, for safety and to allow a better workflow, we also were in need of accommodation to host children and caregivers for training and recreational camps,” said Daniel.
He said that the need for a bigger space became even more urgent as the security situation in the townships had deteriorated and they struggled visiting some of the areas.
Daniel said that in 2018 they bought a large piece of land in Dolphin Drive, but it took at least three years to get a successful departure of the zoning.
Finally, in April 2022, they were able to begin with the construction of their workshop and offices.
“I am so grateful to experience the growth in every area of our work. I don’t think we would have appreciated what we have now if we did not start humbly and small,” said Daniel.
He said that at the end of March this year they moved out of their rented premises in Loots Park Crescent to Timion Village.
“We are very grateful for this new chapter for Timion which encompasses workshops, offices, bungalows and a vegetable garden which gives us so many new possibilities,” said Daniel.
In addition to the manufacturing of equipment for children with disabilities, they have also provided training to carpenters in different parts of the world, established a daycare centre, Alena’s Love, in the township of Kwanobuhle where they host eight children with severe disabilities, and they have regular camps to connect with both children and caregivers.
“Timion’s work has become more holistic. Seeing the caregivers overcome their challenges is one of the things that make me happy about our work,” said Daniel.
They also offer hippotherapy, where children with disabilities receive therapy on the back of a horse which utilises the natural gate of the horse to provide motor and sensory input to the child.
They have also employed occupational therapists to offer therapy to the children and they have employed family facilitators.
Daniel said that they mainly donate the equipment to children anywhere in South Africa by working alongside local occupational therapists, but they request that recipients based further than 130km from Jeffreys Bay arrange their own transport.
