If anyone should ask if Rotary can make a difference at an individual level, Don Waller's initiative, described below, should answer the question. 

Gideon Gerber (52) has been a quadriplegic for 25 years. He was knocked off his motor bike by a taxi. Were it not for an aware shop keeper who immediately called an ambulance, Gideon would not be around today.

Gideon has no feeling below his neck and is remarkably cheerful and positive.  He and several other quads live in Huis Andries Olivier in Durbanville. As a committee member, Gideon, is very involved in fund raising and also does paper work for people sent to the house to do community service.  He is quite a busy man.

Since Gideon cannot move at all he is confined to bed and is very prone to bed sores. He is also dependant on others to dial phone numbers, type letters and even answer the telephone. Communication is vital to him not only for his duties around the home but to keep contact with his family in Klerksdorp and his daughter in Taiwan.

This is where the Rotary Club of Newlands came in when we supplied a voice activated computer to Gideon. The software, known as Dragan, is supplied by Human Capital Development and includes on-site installation, commissioning and initial training. We included a further eight hours of training and Gideon has been making good use of the system, as his various emails to Newlands Rotarians demonstrate. The image below is one recently emailed to us by Gideon -