Vrystaat Nasorgsentrum is a non-profit organisation for adults with Intellectual Disability. The centre is home to approximately 150 residents and 30 dayworkers. The beneficiaries are referred from Lettie Fouche school or other special schools within the Free State. A total of 50 beneficiaries are orphans and have no family to support them.
Interstate Bus Lines assists Nasorgsentrum with the daily transport of dayworkers, staff members and residents that returns from a weekend at home. This Interstate Bus Lines sponsored bus makes it possible to teach skills to a wide variety of beneficiaries that cannot be placed within the residential facility. The bus service enables us to reach more beneficiaries with intellectual disabilities – making them aware that they have a purpose within society.
Our more than a decade long relationship with the Association for People with Disabilities (APD), a non-profit organisation has continued to grow and benefit our Mangaung community. The IBL sponsorship mainly covers the bus donation, bus maintenance, licensing and ensuring that the bus remains in a roadworthy condition. APD as well as the Nasorg Sentrum jointly benefits from the sponsorship and use of the bus to transport disabled members of our community. The total sponsorship has grown to well over R200 000.00 per annum. According to the Stats SA census, Free State Province have by far the highest number of persons with disabilities. Accordingly, government, business and society have responsibility in ensuring the employment of people with disability increases by same percentage as per their population. It is precisely on this premise that the Interstate Bus Lines sponsorship is based. Our continued sponsorship is informed by the need for both physically and mentally disabled members of the community to be fully integrated with society in general. The sponsorship allows these members of the community to access much needed facilities as well as creating an opportunity for them to play an active role in the community.
