65 years of impact
Mobility and inclusion for people with disabilities in South Africa
Our story
Who we are
The Rachel Swart Fund is a South African NPO that has worked for over 65 years to advance mobility and inclusion for people with disabilities. What began as an assistive device fund has grown into a broader model: building disability capability so that communities themselves can drive lasting support and change.
In 1923, Rachel Swart was born without arms or legs in rural Bredasdorp. She refused to let this define her life, teaching herself to eat with a fork, write, sew, and even thread a needle unaided. At an agricultural show, newspaper editor Piet Beukes met Rachel and was so moved by her spirit that he wrote about her. That article reached Sir John Ellerman, an English businessman and philanthropist, who was captivated by her resilience and became her friend, funding practical changes that gave her more independence. Rachel married in 1949 and delighted in motherhood, welcoming a son before her early death in 1955 after the birth of her second child, a daughter. In 1960, Ellerman and Beukes founded the Rachel Swart Fund in her honour, so that her spirit of resilience and independence could live on in others facing the same struggle.
Why we do it
Across South Africa, many thousands of people with disabilities are excluded from education, employment, healthcare, and community life simply because they can't access the equipment, home-based support, or advocacy services they need. In rural areas especially, a broken wheelchair can mean the complete loss of mobility. Government health services are responsible for repairing, maintaining, and issuing this equipment, but with limited budget and capacity stretched across vast rural areas, that loss can last indefinitely
Our mission
Empower people living with disabilities by improving access to mobility, community-led rehabilitation, skills development and inclusion – focussing on the most marginalised
What we stand for
Our values
Community
Solutions built with, not for, communities
Innovation
Creative and resourceful solutions that drive impact
Collaboration
Collective effort creates lasting change
Dignity
Everyone has value and deserves care
Inclusion
A community is only whole where everyone belongs
Sustainability
Lasting solutions, lasting impact
Our programmes
What we do
Disability Living Assistance
We provide assistive technology, such as mobility devices (manual and motorised wheelchairs), hoists, pressure-care equipment, and more, to people who cannot access them through the public health system or any other means. Every application is reviewed by our experienced Medical Committee to ensure the device is appropriate for the client's needs and suited to their home environment. We also support repairs and maintenance, so mobility and independence aren't lost the moment a device breaks down. For people who can no longer work due to sudden disability and are waiting for their disability grant to be approved, we provide temporary subsistence support to bridge the gap.
Skills Development
We build local capacity by training therapists to safely prescribe appropriate mobility devices that keep clients healthy and mobile. We also train community workers, most of whom are people living with disabilities, in wheelchair repair and maintenance, peer support, and the manufacture of low-cost posture support devices from recycled materials. Closely aligned with our foundational mobility devices programme, this capacity building work keeps devices functional and safe long after they're issued and extends our reach deeper into rural areas across the country.
Community Rehabilitation
We partner with a community-based organisation and the local health department in rural KwaZulu-Natal to deliver home-based rehabilitation, disability advocacy, and peer support. Our Peer Supporters, living with disabilities themselves, bring practical support directly into people’s homes, closing the gap where limited state resources can’t reach and literally saving lives.
Our impact
Impact 2026
- 532
- Direct beneficiaries
- 122 children, 410 adults
- 66
- People kept mobile
- Devices provided + repairs funded
- 332
- Clients + caregivers reached through community rehab
- 109
- Adults trained
- 30 therapists (seating) · 43 in device manufacture · 36 in wheelchair repair
Testimonials
What people say
“Many thanks to the Rachel Swart Fund for my new "Land Cruiser" wheelchair which will allow me to go anywhere off-road!”
“The buggy makes him happy, he is able to go wherever he wants and play with friends. Happiness that this brought me cannot be measured. May God bless the Rachel Swart Fund, may the love you showed to us reach each and every woman with a cerebral palsy warrior.”
“My motorised wheelchair arrived... and it has already made a positive difference in my daily life. Now I don't have to hire a taxi just to get to my work, less than 1km away, which is really expensive. I would like to sincerely thank you for your support and assistance throughout this process.”
“Betty received her toe-control motorised wheelchair today, and she even wore her weave for the occasion. Nothing can go wrong for her today, she can't stop smiling.”
Apply
Device application
Who can apply
The Rachel Swart Fund provides assistive devices, mostly mobility equipment such as motorised wheelchairs and specialised seating, to people with physical disabilities across South Africa who cannot afford them themselves, either because they have no medical aid or because their medical aid will not cover the device. Assistive devices are the responsibility of the public health system, so we fund them only as a last resort, once all other options have been exhausted. You can apply if you live in South Africa, have a physical disability, cannot pay for the device yourself, and have been unable to get it through your local government hospital or clinic. If you have medical aid, you’ll also need to show that they have declined to cover the device. We will ask for proof of both.
How to apply
Every application must be supported by a therapist, usually a physiotherapist or occupational therapist. Assistive devices have to be prescribed and fitted by a trained professional so that they’re safe and suit the person using them. For wheelchairs and seating, the therapist must be trained in wheelchair seating. Your therapist should complete the application with you, either by filling in the online form or by downloading the PDF and emailing it to info@rachelswart.org.za. If you don’t have a therapist, ask your local clinic or hospital to refer you to their rehabilitation department.
Get in touch
Contact us
Tell us what you need help with and we will point you to the right person. Email is best for anything with documents. WhatsApp is quickest for a short question.
Applying for a device
Questions about the application form or supporting documents. WhatsApp us (opens in a new tab).
Repairs and maintenance
A device we funded needs a repair, a new part or an adjustment. WhatsApp us (opens in a new tab).
Funding and partnerships
Trusts, companies and individuals who want to support our work or partner with us. Email us.
Anything else
Media, volunteering or general questions about the Fund. Email us.
Accountability
Governance
- PBO number: 130000896
- NPO number: 002-955
- Audited financials: Available on request
Our partners
We work alongside government, community organisations and funders to reach more people.
