Proper Facilities essential for success

How accessible are your catering facilities for People with Disabilities (PWDs)?

Accessibility to facilities by people with disabilities is essential for their integration into mainstream society. success of all people. Many people with disabilities (PWDs) are unable to achieve everything they dream because of inadequate facilities. This is unacceptable for a society that promotes inclusion and equal opportunity for all. The Hope School in Johannesburg caters for children with mental and physical disabilities, giving many children a chance to reach their personal maximum potential. This is according to Mr. Viljoen, principal of the Hope School and speaker at the ACSA Disability Conference and Nedbank Disability Expo to be held at Gallegar Estate in Midrand from the 1st to the 3rd November this year.

"Accessibility is a major concern to people with disabilities, and needs to be addressed today." This is according to Kim Krynauw, organiser of this year's Disability ACSA Conference and Nedbank Expo. There are so many simple things people can do to make the lives of PWD's so much easier. The home economics department at the Hope school believes that accessibility in the kitchen is of vital importance to provide an inclusive and welcoming environment to ALL people. Small things like lowering kitchen tables, sinks and stoves can make a huge difference to people in wheelchairs. Grips on knives and cutlery allow the children to cut, chop and peel all kinds of food without difficulty. Chair inserts can be provided for regular and wheel chairs allowing a child to sit upright.

The Hope School in Johannesburg has been open since 1928 providing education, therapy and accommodation to learners with physical, behaviour and learning disabilities. The school caters for children from as young as three years old and goes all the way up to matric. The school's mission is "to assist all learners to reach their personal maximum potential overcoming all obstacles to become valuable contributors and upstanding local and global citizens in a world that is often prejudiced to anyone outside the norm." The Hope School is a remarkable school that helps and educates so many children, giving them an opportunity to live a life full of endless successes and hope.

Many learners at the Hope School enjoy the home economics environment where they can cook, design and make all kinds of interesting things, from food to dresses. Rina Vhengani, a past pupil at the school, enjoyed the cooking tremendously, she learnt how to set a menu for her family, to make pretty things for her home and to be positive about her future. Having accessible facilities really changed the way she looked at things. Rina could do anything an abled bodied person could do. This kind of environment is something that all people, especially people in the hospitality industry, can do. By providing lower tables to guests with disabilities, for example, can make an incredible difference. The kitchen is a place where all people need to have complete accessibility. This can be done so easily.

Mr. Viljoen, principal of the Hope school, will be speaking at this year's Disability 2007 ACSA Conference and Nedbank Expo, providing delegates with essential information on the importance of schools, such at this, as well as other necessary information on developments and technologies regarding the improvement of facilities.

For more information on what you can do to provide complete accessibility to all people please visit the Disability Conference and Expo to be held at Gallagher Estate this year from the 1st to the 3rd November.

This year's event includes an exciting array of activities, including:

- Wheelchair basketball tournament, which includes the Discovery Eagles Team and the Pumas. This two teams will be battling it out against each other on 1 November at 18h00 and Saturday 3 November at 12h00
- Wheelchair tennis
- Wheelchair dancing
- Motivational talks by Oscar Pistorius, our double amputee athlete who won two Paralympic medals in Athens
- Natalie du Toit, our own swimming champion who won gold medals at the 2004 Paralympic Games

This year's exhibition will include over 100 displays including entertainment and lifestyle choices: adapted vehicles; ADLS (assisted daily living equipment and service); communication aids; computers; easy reaches; emergency medical supplies; hand cycles; hearing aids; hospital furniture; mobility aids; occupational products; patient handling devices; physio equipment; products and aids for the deaf and blind; prosthetic artificial limbs; showering devices / building products; sports equipment; training institutions; walking sticks; wheelchairs; wheelchair clothing and, much more!

For more information on the event, contact the event organisers. Overall management of the expo and conference: Bette McNaughton of Fair Consultants SA. Tel: (021) 713 3360. Fax: (021) 713 3366. E-mail:
Website: www.fairconsultants.com

Expo Information: Kim Krynauw. Cell: 084-710-6496, E-mail:
Website: www.disabilityexpo.co.za

Media and Publicity: Catherine Larkin. Tel: 011 789-7327. Cell: 083 300 0331. E-mail:


READ MORE Disability 2007 (incorporating Nedbank Disability SA Expo 2007 and the ACSA Disability Conference) / Succeeding at Sport and Reaching for Dreams / Medical care vital to helping and improving the lives of People with Disabilities / Employing Deaf People / Strong Growth in Support for Disability 2007 / Disability / Flyfishing for People with Disabilities / Proper Facilities essential for success

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