Bread tags bring joy to paraplegics
A BREAD tag may have no use for some, but for many paraplegics it is a chance for a more comfortable life.
Hannelie van der Merwe of Walmer Heights and her daughter Elizabeth dedicate their time to Bread Tags for Wheelchairs, a project facilitated by the Polystyrene Packaging Council of South Africa in order to recycle bread tags, and in return wheelchairs are distributed to those unable to afford them.
Hannelie and Elizabeth, 13, got involved last year after reading a newspaper article about the project. It was not long before Hannelie took over as coordinator for Bread Tags for Wheelchairs, Bay region.
So far they have collected almost 400kg of the high density polystyrene tags with the help of schools, businesses and individuals.
Last month four-year-old Hope Jones of Cape Recife received a wheelchair after Hannelie and Elizabeth collected 285kg of bread tags, which is equivalent to 27 wine boxes.
Hannelie said it usually takes a year to collect enough tags, but after getting a number of schools involved, including Collegiate which Elizabeth attends, they are already halfway to getting another wheelchair this year.
"So far we have 120kg, and there is more still to weigh. We are almost there,” said Hannelie, who stores all the tags at her home wherever she can find space.
Corporates such as Sasko and Kwikloc, who manufacture the bread tags, have become involved and have pledged to donate two wheelchairs for every one wheelchair that is bought from the funds raised through this project.
Hannelie prefers to buy a specially-fitted wheelchair for the recipient so she uses the tag value along with a sponsorship of CE Mobility to get a modified wheelchair instead of two basic wheelchairs.
"Choosing who gets a wheelchair is difficult. This year I phoned the headmaster of Cape Recife and asked him who needs one and he recommended Hope,” said Hannelie.
To help bring in a higher number of tags, Hannelie started getting schools involved. That is when Elizabeth took the idea to Collegiate.
"We had a special assembly at school to introduce it,” said Elizabeth.
Collegiate made a competition out of it and had each class fill up two litre bottles with tags. At the end of each term, the class with the most bottles won a prize.
"They (pupils) have seen that it is possible to get it done,” said Elizabeth.
Any businesses, individuals or schools interested in helping can contact Hannelie on 082-920-2133.