Feeling brave? Up to a challenge? Just for today…
Don't only imagine, but try to live the frustrations of being paraplegic or quadriplegic…
For the next 24 hours try to cope without the use of your arms and legs.

Soon, you will find that you are:

• thirsty, but unable to reach for a glass of water,
• hungry, but unable to reach the kitchen or prepare something to eat,
• bored, but you can't turn the TV or radio on,
• in need of help, but you can't use the phone
• desperate to scratch your itchy nose, but…

Without someone to help you, you will die. Maybe your family and friends will be there for you in the beginning, but statistics show that they will head for the hills after a while.

Finding this challenge too difficult? OK, we'll give you permission to use your arms, but not your legs…
No, forget about your nice set of wheels in the garage! Not much better, is it? You've just had a small glimpse of what life is like for thousands of people living in our local communities. Now imagine having to live this way for the rest of your life...

How long did you last? Ever done anything more difficult? Want to share some thoughts on how it felt?
If you have money, you can get somebody to help you 24/7. If you do not have money, you will quickly find out just how important it is for the APD to carry on doing the wonderful work it does.

With your help, the APD will always be around to serve as the arms and legs of those who no longer have the use of theirs.

When a person's physical or mental condition keeps him or her from being able to function in an expected manner. A disability can be physical (such as paralysis, loss of limb, deafness), mental (such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder) or intellectual (such as a learning disability). Some people are born disabled; others become disabled as a result of an accident or disease. Disabilities range from moderate to significant and can be temporary or permanent. With the help of a supportive community, good education and vocational opportunities, disabled persons can progress.

• 750 million people in the world are disabled, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)
• 80% of disabled people live in developing countries
• 10% of the population in poor countries is disabled
• 1 in every 10 children around the world copes with a disability
• Only 2–3% of disabled children in poor countries go to school
• The Casual Day Welfare Organization states that 3.5 million people in South Africa are disabled.

Social Workers, Attendant Care Workers and Barrier Breakers.
Changing Society.
Including People with Disability into our South African society.

Dealing with disability is not just a health issue. It is about changing society. The idea of who is disabled comes from people's cultures and their perception of how they see others. For example, if a deaf child is taught to read lips and lives with people who speak in sign language, the child is not necessarily disabled and can contribute to society.

The APD Social Workers work with the community educating and providing therapeutic after-care. They endeavor to reduce the levels of poverty by empowering people with disabilities to establish and maintain income generating projects as per identified need. The Attendant Care Workers take care of the physical needs of the disabled within the community. The Barrier Breakers Project works with society as a whole creating an awareness of the difficulties that the physically disable face and provide solutions to these difficulties.

People with disabilities must be helped to become productive members of society because this will improve the welfare and well being of the entire community.

Sometimes solutions can be relatively simple, such as giving wheelchairs to those in need or constructing wheelchair accessible buildings.

APD IS A SOLUTION TO CHANGING SOCIETY FOR THE GOOD OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

There is life after disability…