A non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting disabled people, Wheels Life Changer, handed over wheelchairs and walking frames to nine children from in and around the Vhembe District. The handover function took place at the Mulenzhe Community Hall on Saturday, 15 February.
The ceremony was attended and supported by Limpopo MEC for Social Development Florence Radzilani, Collins Chabane Mayor Shadrack Maluleke, several councillors, and the local traditional leader, Vhamusanda Mulindathavha Tshinetise.
The driving force behind Wheels Life Changer is Ronewa Mudzanani (27). He said the organisation had been founded in October 2023 when he had become aware that poor children living with disabilities were unable to attend school because they did not have wheelchairs or walking frames. His mission since then has been to provide these essential aids to young people, enabling them to participate fully in activities. His motto is: "Every child deserves a chance to dream."
Mudzanani was diagnosed with scoliosis, an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine resulting from cerebral palsy, when he was just a year old. In 2021, he was part of the South African wheelchair tennis team that won a bronze medal at the Sardinia tournament. In 2022, he competed in four major international tournaments in Turkey, showcasing his talent and determination on the world stage.
Mudzanani urged parents of children with disabilities not to hide them but to give them opportunities to shine.
One of the recipients of a wheelchair last year was 26-year-old Ritshidze Nemahotela from Vhurivhuri village in Hamakuya. She said that when she had become disabled in 2019, she had lost hope of ever achieving anything. "For a long time, I relied on crutches while waiting for a wheelchair. In May last year, I received a wheelchair from Wheels Life Changer, which transformed my life. Now I can attend school with ease and socialise more freely. I stayed home for two years, feeling ashamed and isolated because I couldn't visit my friends. Now, my life has improved, and I'm back in school," she said.