About

The Stellenbosch Disability Network (SDN) was established in October 2014 and the Helderberg Disability Network (HDN) in July 2018. Both networks are open for any organisation, members of the public and interested parties wishing to share information, raise awareness and ensure the inclusion of disability in local planning and service delivery in greater Stellenbosch. They work to advance the full inclusion of, and opportunities for, people with disabilities in all aspects of development, planning, learning, working and living in the greater Stellenbosch & Helderberg areas.

The SDN and the HDN were created as projects of the NPO, ChangeAbility. ChangeAbility’s purpose is to pioneer programmes that change communities by improving the lives of people with disabilities. ChangeAbility is still responsible for coordinating, chairing and reporting on the activities of each of these networks under their Disability Awareness project (for more information on this and other projects, visit their website at https://changeability.org.za/our-programmes/)

Both networks exist to:

Share information and build a database on disability-related services & organisations (networking)
Identify and record challenges faced by the disability sector & people with disabilities (research)
Ensure the inclusion of disability in local planning & services (representation)
Avoid duplication of services & maximize the use of limited resources (capacity building)
Raise awareness and sensitise the public on disability-related themes (awareness raising)
Take responsibility for the betterment of people with disabilities in our community (shared responsibility)

The networks meet quarterly and host large annual awareness raising events:

15 & 16 October 2015: Talk about Disability