Teamwork made Rensché du Toit and Corine de Jonge’s Camino walk possible. Pictured in the back row, from left to right, are Mr Marinus Potgieter, Manager: PDTS; Ms Corine de Jonge; Mr Allan Kinnear, Project Engineer: PDTS; and Mr Katlego Makgeledisa, PDTS Intern. In the front row, from left to right, are Ms Rensché du Toit enjoying her unique, custom-made wheelchair, and Mr Schalk van der Merwe, initiator of the project.

The Product Development Technology Station (PDTS) at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) continues to contribute positively to communities through its social and technological innovations.

The centre played a significant role in realising retired, lifelong friends Rensché du Toit and Corine de Jonge’s dream to do the Camino Pilgrim Walk.  According to Du Toit, who has post-polio syndrome, and De Jonge, who suffers from Hashimoto’s autoimmune disease, they have always wanted to do the walk, but the rough terrains made it almost impossible for a wheelchair-bound person to ride through.

“Without the wheelchair, it would have been impossible. It gave us access to places where it would have been impossible for an ordinary wheelchair to manoeuvre. The concept is excellent for rough terrain and rural areas, and will empower people with disabilities, and increase their flexibility and mobility. Looking back at where it all started, I would say I am grateful to the PDTS Team and Mr Van der Merwe for realising our dream. This was a special trip for us, and I am proud to say that we made it”, she said.

Walking the Camino is a great achievement that requires much perseverance, courage, and strong mobility. The Camino de Santiago is a 780 km pilgrimage route through Spain, popularly known for its hiking trails and rough terrains.

The PDTS managed to design and build a three-in-one sustainable wheelchair, initiated by Mr Schalk van der Merwe, who has been wheelchair-bound for 27 years. As the initiator of the project, all that Mr Van der Merwe wanted was a sustainable, multifunctional, affordable, durable and flexible wheelchair that is suitable for rough terrains and rural areas. “My wish was to have a multifunctional and low-maintenance wheelchair, and I am glad that the PDTS designed a three-in-one regular wheelchair that can drive on tough terrain, has a hand cycle that can be connected to it, and a free-wheel version. What is more important, is that it can be made generally available to anyone at an affordable cost.”

The PDTS, however, only had approximately two weeks to design and build the wheelchair before the Camino journey, which took place from 4 to 20 September 2018, started.

Mr Allan Kinnear, Project Engineer: PDTS, said that although the request was made on short notice, he is delighted that it passed the Camino test. “The fact that this mobile chair overcame some of the obstacles on the route, shows it works perfectly. Our greatest objective was to have a sustainable wheelchair that can be serviced every two years, and last a lifetime.” He further stated that the challenge faced in South Africa is not about wheelchairs, but sustainable wheelchairs. “Normal chairs brake regularly, and have to be replaced often, and for me, that is not durability”, he said.

Mr Kinnear also mentioned that the product will be further improved, and that possible adjustments would be incorporated according to Ms Du Toit’s feedback on the prototype.

According to Katlego Makgeledisa, PDTS Intern who also worked on the project, there were many challenges in the making of the wheelchair, but through teamwork, they managed to meet the deadline. “This wheelchair was specifically designed to withstand conditions of walking through the trails of Camino. When we started, it seemed impossible, but once we were done and saw it functional, it was the best feeling ever”, he said.

When asked about the material used and their future plans, the team said that, because normal chairs brake regularly, and have to be replaced constantly, they opted for custom-made castor wheels, which are more durable. Although the chair is one of the first prototypes, similar chairs are available in the market. However, they are more expensive, and are only manufactured and sold on request. The centre currently awaits funding to commercialise the product.