Paul Steyn Foundation

Sobre nosotros

The Paul Steyn Foundation was founded in 2012 by Paul Steyn.His right leg was amputated below the knee after an accident at school when he was thirteen years old. The Paul Steyn Foundation is a Department of Social Development and South African Revenue Services registered non-profit public benefit organization. It is run by a management committee of four and adheres to all statutory laws and regulations pertaining to charitable non-profit organizations.

The main purpose of the foundation is to raise funds to assist deserving financially disadvantaged amputees in South Africa with prosthetic legs. Additionally, the Paul Steyn Foundation provides moral support and information to new amputees and tries to create awareness as to the plight of amputees in general.

Paul tries to demonstrate, through walking long distances and taking part in other extreme activities, the mobility and independence that a prosthesis provides to an amputee. He has also done bungee jumping, white water rafting as well as sky jumping to demonstrate that mobility. Since 2012, the Paul Steyn Foundation has been able to assist 18 amputees with prosthetic legs, at a cost of about R1,2 million. During that time, Paul has walked nearly 12000km to raise funds and create awareness.

During Paul's walks he talks at churches, schools and other organizations. He has spoken to more than 100 000 school children on his last walk alone. The walk of nearly 7000km, through all nine provinces of South Africa in 2015/2016, lasted 15 months.

South African government programs to provide prothetics to those dependent on the state are severely underfunded and some provinces have waiting lists for up to seven years. We get from three to four applications for assistance per month. Unfortunately we receive no grants from government and have no corporate sponsors. All our finances are from donations by the general public, small businesses and churches. Because of the high cost of prosthesis in South Africa, we can only assist on average four people annually.

Frikkie Harmse is the Administrator of the Paul Steyn Foundation.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.