On August 31st 2023, the Jumping Kids Prosthetic Fund (Jumping Kids) hosted its inaugural Mobility Games event in collaboration with SEMLI (The Sport, Exercise Medicine & Lifestyle Institute) at the University of Pretoria High Performance Centre.
The aim of the event was to showcase the scope of the Jumping Kids initiative; a registered non-profit organisation since 2009; and to create an occasion where charity beneficiaries could get together for a day of fun activities to highlight the benefits of having access to prosthetic equipment and rehabilitative support for children living with lower limb mobility challenges.
“The idea behind the event was to get as many of our beneficiaries and their families to attend, meet and interact. The event included various physical activities for the kids and was led by the biokinetics team from SEMLI. We wanted to show what is possible when young prosthetic device users get the opportunity to push their physical boundaries, and to encourage them to socialise with others facing similar physical challenges. It was also an opportunity for current and potential funders to experience, first-hand, the impact of their financial support,” says Michael Stevens, the Director of Jumping Kids.
Attendees on the day included 46 Jumping Kids beneficiaries, representing four provinces, accompanied by their families or guardians. Leading the beneficiaries in the activities were members and students associated with the SEMLI Biokinetics team, and several Jumping Kids charity ambassadors. Also attending were representatives from various organisations, including the Road Accident Fund (RAF), who are committed to help make a difference in the lives of children living with limb amputation, by donating to the cause.
“It is a dream come true to see so many of our Jumping Kids beneficiaries, former beneficiaries, and charity ambassadors together at one event. Getting the biokinetics team at SEMLI to help host the event is a further step to emphasise the importance of, not only providing prosthetics to child amputees, but also physical rehabilitation techniques to ensure the kids make the most of their mobility,” comments Johan Snyders, a prosthetist based at The Innovation Hub and the founder of Jumping Kids.
Since its launch in 2009, the Jumping Kids Prosthetic Fund has assisted more than 300 children from across South- and Southern Africa to gain access to prosthetic equipment and holistic, rehabilitative support. This includes, assisting beneficiaries to get the opportunity to attend mainstream schools and to participate in various sporting codes.
Athletes associated with Jumping Kids who have had success on the global para-athletics circuit include Tokyo Paralympics double gold medalist for South Africa, Ntando Mahlangu, as well as Puseletso Mabote – who also represented the country in track athletics at the Tokyo Games.
“It is important for our Biokinetics students and practitioners to get first-hand experience of what is required, in terms of physical rehabilitation, when dealing with children living with amputation. It is an opportunity to apply the theory in practice and the day proved invaluable for creating awareness about the importance of physical rehabilitative access for these children,” concludes FC Du Toit, Senior Biokineticist and Practice Manager at SEMLI.
