Ama Wheelies

The Department of Social Development (DSD) spearheaded by the Mpumalanga DSD Departmental head, Mpumalanga Provincial Representative, Project Supervisor and town Thabachweu /Lydenburg Social representatives visited Ama Wheelies at the farm Rietfontein situated within the rural district of Badfontein.

The visit of senior DSD management was to inform Ama Wheelies that they have a mandate; any project not previously funded is not to receive subsidy unless the project is based in a township. The DSD therefore report, although the farm visit is in recognition of Ama Wheelies and its work as a registered Non-Profit Organization (NPO), commending Ama Wheelies and its projects, they encouraged Ama Wheelies to continue finding private donors, to fund Ama Wheelies operations for the DSD are unable to grant funds unless the NPO is “Township based”.

Although Ama Wheelies emphasized to the DSD that the farm is situated within Badfontein district, it did not change the decision and in addition they commented that they have budget constraints and that within the town of Lydenburg they have only one Disabled centre approved for funding and it is Wenaker -an institution for mentally handicapped. The DSD further will not approve ‘Self-Help Centres’ be it for Blind, Deaf or quadriplegic for town Lydenburg as all disable needs are cared for at the disabled centre Wenaker, the Lydenburg institution for Mentally Handicapped.

The shocking news was not received well by members of Ama Wheelies and the DSD suggested a follow up meeting enabling one member of Ama Wheelies (Felix) the Lydenburg Social representatives (Sphiwe), Department Health representative (Annelize) and Lydenburg Municipal co-ordinator for persons with disability (Albina) to report on feasibility of relocating projects into the township and arranging accommodation at Wenaker.

The DSD visit was prompted in responds to the submission of Ama Wheelies annual Business plans as required from a registered NPO. NPO’S are required to disclose activity, provide financial statements and apply for annual ‘grant.’ The business plan is motivation as to how funds applied for will be used.

As a NPO Ama Wheelies prepared a comprehensive Grant application funding the 6 spears of operations as outlined in our Business plan. Our service is unique in Mpumalanga. The 24hr care and accommodation Ama Wheelies offer; the Training and rehabilitation both to Quadriplegics and family members; the Outreach program is designed to assist and Empower these disabled persons living with family or on their own and the Outreach Supporting them. The Job Creation Program create Special Protected work opportunities for these vulnerable disabled persons; and the Sport program facilitating and Enabling Disabled Sport the Tool we use to Uplift, Motivate and give New-Hope to disabled persons.

Ama Wheelies provide a range of services to Victims of Crime. These Persons Permanently Injured at young age in Car HI-Jackings, Robberies and Traumatic Car Accidents further suffer in that their families are not equipped or trained to take care of these persons suffering spinal injury, and no longer able to take care of themselves! Helpless they are abused by their families for their pensions and we ask help funding our home, help with rehabilitation enabling those still with families to overcome problems.

Ama Wheelies first applied to Thabachweu /Lydenburg Municipality December 2007 for help and guidance. Ama Wheelies received our NPO number in 2010 and annually been submitting Business plan on Business plan unsuccessfully. In vain Ama Wheelies application for funding has also been made to the Youth Development Fund, Job Creation Fund, Department of works, SEDA and various SETA’s and annually to Department Land Reconciliation and Reform!

Our applications for government grants seem to fall on deaf ears.

Ironically the DSD overlook letters from the Department of Health which clearly state: “Suitable accommodation and care for disabled persons, especially quadriplegics, is extremely hard to come by. Besides Ama Wheelies, Mpumalanga does not have any other accommodation for quadriplegics.” with this in mind our funding requests are shot down and our members are told to apply for accommodation at a mental health institution?

Ama Wheelies although recognized as the only suitable accommodation and training center for quadriplegics in Mpumalanga is not receiving government funding.  As a direct result we are forced to continue finding private donors to keep our organization floating.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the private and corporate donors who continue to support Ama Wheelies.

You guys rock! Thank you.

A wize person once said, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” At Ama Wheelies we strive to follow this advice by providing free training and education to our members.

Moses Mlombo is a quadriplegic unable to use hands or feet, he is a member of Ama Wheelies. Moses was further handicapped for some time with a bed-sore and was bedridden. During this time, Moses received a Nokia handset and communication training provided by Ama Wheelies.

Against all odds Moses found an opportunity via the green trust, recycling old printer cartridges.

Moses has already received a small income from recycling cartridges and his business is slowly growing, proving yet again that with education and motivation people can be taught to help themselves.

Can you help Moses to grow his business?

By supporting Moses, through empty printer cartridge collections, you and your business will make a meaningful contribution to the environment and at the same time empower Moses, helping him grow his business and realize financial independence.

Please consider collecting your empty printer cartridges to help Moses.

To help Moses, please follow these easy steps:

1. Contact Moses (Cell: 079 052 3500; email: speedy@amawheelies.co.za)
2. Moses will have a cartridge collection box delivered to your place of business
3. Collect all your empty printer, copier and fax cartridge until the box is full, you can even bring your empty cartridges from home
4. When the box is full, contact Moses (or he will call you), and arrange for collection.

Ama Wheelies is changing lives through education. Our outreach program is helping many to live meaningful lives.

We rely on your support though to continue growing from strength to strength. Your donations are appreciated. Thank you

Into the labour market they come, young and strong! Good labour is hard to find, at some stage you explore the option of training school leavers!

Clever and eager, but more willing they come. If you work like me you surround yourself with strong and capable staff, young people we train and develop internally. Yes at Ama Wheelies we cannot afford high salaries as required by qualified staff. At Ama Wheelies we provide constant training; developing our staff enabling us to achieve great results all thanks to our good staff. Yes at Ama Wheelies we developed a nucleus of happy, good and honest hard working men in our little happy world; and this we do as a registered NPO with limited means.

But these young men want to go to town to buy and spend their hard earned wages. They are not married and don’t go to their parents homes when they receive time-off. They are watched and on the way to town a beautiful girl invites them for a bit of entertainment. They don’t mind giving her a bit of money as reward for the pleasure she provide; however she overlooked telling them she’s entertaining them seeking reward to purchase her anti-revitral medicine!

Not a week later these young men report a bladder infection unable to urinate. To the doctors and hospital they go; soon however you notice a change in the young man; from happy they become glum; (I say they for recently we had 4 young men walk the same route from 2 population groups and from 4 ethnic races.) Soon concern riddles them, fidgety they become; unable to concentrate and becoming forgetful. But the telling sign is they start loosing weight

Yes today number 4 left us also returning sick to his family.

What do you do? Ama Wheelies develop youngsters into men. Do we re-employ another youngster and watch him fall by the wayside swept away by the luxuries money brings?

Can you give advice? Must we train and install morals? If your company found a solution please share the information; Ama Wheelies is young and dynamic; we invite help and your advice we treasure.

Read our webpage www.amawheelies.co.za for more info and if you able to help our home

A lawyer brought Segokodi – Jerry Sekgothe ID 770707 6170 086 to AmaWheelies for urgent help, care and rehabilitation.

Jerry broke his back in an accident and without proper rehabilitation, without even a pressure relief cushion sent home to his 80 year old grandmother.

His grandmother unable to take care of him simply left him on a bed in a small tin shack.
You don’t want to see the photos it makes you sick!
WARNING PICTURES ARE GRAPHIC! NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED.
Pictures can be seen here and here.

We took Jerry to Lydenburg hospital, got some necessary medicines for Jerry.
Jerry is now in our Ama Wheelies rehabilitation room and we doing best possible to help him.

We URGENTLY need financial help to look after Jerry, our finances are stretched and care giving expensive.

If your heart finds it good our Ama Wheelies Nedbank Account
Acc: 1930052944 Branch Code: 193042.

Alternatively please consider making an online donation using Visa or Mastercard.

After a lengthy 22 month fight for justice, Ama Wheelies is happy to announce that Mr Ryan Wheeler has been sentenced for an effective 20 years at a Nelspruit court.

Mr Wheeler (pictured below) for all apparent purposes was the most pleasant and helpful person, using the trust to gain access to our bank account on the basis of him helping us, only to rob Ama Wheelies of R37 400.00.

7 September was the court date and the Department of Justice subpoenaed Barry Botes founder of Ama Wheelies, providing transport to the court and back as witness. Mr Wheeler admitted guilt and the case was postponed as there were several charges against him. On 3 October the secretary of the court phoned informing final outcome and eventual sentence. Mr Wheeler will be locked up for an effective 20 years without parole.

Mr Wheeler is now locked away and cannot rob and steal from other disabled or old persons.

Sadly we could not report the news of this robbery earlier as we feared for the lives of our members while Mr Wheeler was still a free man. Now that he is locked away for a long time, we are happy to report this news and the outcome of the 22 month battle for justice.

As quadriplegics, disabled and without the use of hands to draw money at an ATM. Stuck in a wheelchair it is not easy getting into banks for turnstiles and security doors make it difficult to enter banks, thus we have to appoint and entrust a person to do banking on our behalf. Presently we have trust worthy staff taking good care of us here at Ama Wheelies however Mr Wheeler initially was entrusted and the money stolen our livelihood.

Ama Wheelies have not been deterred and two years we are still hard working. For an able bodied person loosing such a large sum of money life would be difficult; for a disabled person unable to work, unable to recuperate the lost money doubles the effect of the loss. Ama Wheelies are without transport and in trouble battling to pay salaries and make ends meet.

Ama Wheelies need your help. Please help find a sponsor to adopt 2 workers and pay their wages on behalf of Ama Wheelies. We urgently need a sponsor to help pay wages! As persons in wheelchairs we require 24 hour medical care. You will be paying wages of our caregivers Manelisi Mlombo and Collen Thwala and total cost of R3630.00 per month. We are battling without governmental help and need this help for 6 months

Presently we await funding from Lotto and Department of Social development and are in crises praying for help, and need help paying wages for next six months. Any help that the community can provide will be vastly appreciated.

Until next time.

Team Ama Wheelies