SWD

Reporter, Lydie Terblanche

February 2025

SWD BRANCHES SUPPORT EFFORTS FOR MANUFACTURING OF CUSTOMISED WHEELCHAIR

In 2009, with the support of corporations, schools, and volunteers, ‘the Sweethearts’ teamed up to collaborate with the Tops & Tags and Bread Tags for Wheelchairs initiatives, which collect and recycle bread tags and plastic bottle tops in exchange for wheelchairs.

The Sweethearts Foundation believes that a wheelchair is a basic human right. It is one of the most commonly used assistive devices for enhancing personal mobility, yet thousands of South Africans remain bedridden; rely on family members to carry them around; or turn to unsafe and uncomfortable homemade alternatives. This project allows passionate South Africans to uplift the lives of less fortunate people in the communities. Its mission is to provide wheelchairs to those who need them most, thereby giving them independence and an opportunity to be an invaluable community member. Most recipients are children with special requirements, as they are long-term wheelchair users and require customised wheelchairs, which are very expensive.

Since 2019, Klein-Brakrivier, with contributions from neighbouring SWD branches, has been a proud supporter of the Great Brak Conservancy’s efforts in collecting “tags & tops” for the Sweethearts Foundation.

Franci Raubenheimer, Chairman Klein-Brakrivier with Val & Scott Thomson. Scott is the chairman of the Great Brak Conservancy.

The plastic bottle tops they collect are only from beverage containers – milk, water, fruit juice, and cool drinks. When the required mass is reached, Val Thomson part of the Great Brak Conservancy’s steering committee and a member of the Sweetheart Foundation prepares and arranges the pickup and transfer of the collected bottle tops and bread tags to the “Sweethearts” in Johannesburg.

the required mass for a wheelchair

Val and the team take on the huge task…

The Sweetheart Foundation has more has many collection points for tags and tops countywide, contributions can be dropped off at any of these points.

PLEASE DO NOT USE THE COLLECTION BIN FOR TRASH!

The Sweethearts Foundation now also accepts aluminium tags and coffee cup lids separately. Unfortunately, the Great Brak Conservancy does not have the infrastructure or manpower to handle those as well, so they are sticking to tops and tags only.  Anyone else in the community is encouraged to start this project to collect the new items.

In 2025 Marlene Lucas from Voëlvlei approached Klein-Brakrivier to combine collection efforts to support the once-off project – the Antoni Smile Care Fund. Marlene knows Antoni’s mother Marli and explains that they need help to collect tags and tops for a customised wheelchair.

Klein-Brak proudly delivered their contributions to Marlene who handed it over to Antoni’s sister, Lea (she also collects ice-cream containers for the SPCA).

Lea accepting the donations for Antoni Smile project.

Afterwards, Marli Smile wrote this thank-you note:

Goeie middag almal

Baie dankie vir elke persoon wat moeite doen om my seuntjie, Antoni, te help. Selfs al is dit net om sy page te share vir bewusmaking!

Waardeer elke sakkie of sak wat bymekaar gemaak word

Groete Marli