Restoring Dignity and Mobility for Children in the Free State

Boikanyo Outreach | Bloemfontein | 29–31 January 2026

From 29–31 January 2026, Boikanyo the Dion Herson Foundation, alongside The Paige Project and the Rotary Club of Rosebank, travelled to Bloemfontein to serve children living with severe disabilities across the Free State’s most rural and underserved communities.

This outreach was not about equipment.
It was about children who have waited far too long to be seen, supported, and given the dignity of mobility.

Reaching Children Who Are Often Forgotten

Families arrived from as far as Senekal and from 17 rural clinics and hospitals across Xhariep, many travelling long distances with children who had never owned a suitable mobility device.

For years, caregivers have carried children on their backs. Children have spent days slumped on floors or couches—unable to move, explore, or participate in daily life. This outreach changed that reality.

Mobility as a Gateway to Care, Comfort, and Inclusion

Through the careful assessment and custom fitting by therapists, 114 mobility devices were made available to children and adults whose needs are often overlooked.

These buggies:

• Reduce physical strain on caregivers

• Allow children to sit safely and comfortably

• Enable participation in family and community life

• Restore dignity to those who have lived without it

The buggies are refurbished and adapted specifically so that each child receives what fits their body, their condition, and their life.

A Community Effort That Made the Impossible Possible

Our logistics partner, Value Logistics, arrived with two 8-ton trucks, ensuring that life-changing mobility equipment reached families who otherwise would have had no access at all.

The quiet pride of the team loading the trucks—documenting the moment on their phones—said everything. They understood that they were not moving equipment. They were moving futures.

Care That Extends Beyond Children

At the Free State Psychiatric Complex, therapists from over six hospitals worked tirelessly to assess, fit, and support every person who arrived.

While 85 children received custom-fitted mobility buggies, our oldest recipient was 66 years old. In deep rural areas, if a person is small enough to fit into a buggy, they are deserving of one—regardless of age.

Elderly gogos carried heavy adults into the hall, determined that their loved ones would not be left behind.

Stories That Stay With Us Forever

One mother arrived with a severely disabled little girl and explained she was the child’s aunt. When a therapist remarked on how lucky the child was, she gently corrected her. Her sister had passed away. She was no longer the aunt—she was the mother.

These are the families we serve.
These are the stories that shape our work.

The Power of a Caring Province

Therapists across the Free State showed extraordinary commitment—calling every contact they had, driving long distances, and ensuring that no child missed this opportunity.

Despite the visible stigma faced by children with disabilities in rural areas, what stood out most was kindness, compassion, and collective effort.

More Than Mobility — A New Beginning

This Bloemfontein outreach was one of our most meaningful to date:

• 85 children received mobility support

• Families from Xhariep and Senekal were reached after years of waiting

• Caregivers experienced relief, dignity, and hope

• Children gained comfort, mobility, and visibility

The buggies may be recycled.
The impact is brand new.