Good Samaritan Victoria Lisa Barry raises more than R250k for Jumping Kids Foundation

Issued by The Innovation Hub
Pretoria, 11 Dec 2014

From back left : Zane Bauermeister(bilateral amputee), Johan Snyders (Icexpress/Jumping Kids), Karen Smith (General Manager-The Innovation Hub), Grant Waites (bilateral amputee- former SA Basketball player), Victoria Barry (Jumping Kids ambassador who initiated the fundraiser), Elmari Smit (Physiotherapist), Front from left: Brandon Menezes (bilateral amputee - medalist who represented Gauteng at the SA National Athletic Championships), Sihle Khumalo (amputee), Ntando Mahlangu (bilateral amputee - Medalist who represents Gauteng at the SA National Athletic Championship).

Ms Victoria Lisa Barry on Friday, 5 December, handed the patron of the Jumping Kids Foundation (www.jumpingkids.org.za) a cheque of R253 761.55 that she had single-handedly raised by requesting friends and family to donate to the organisation instead of buying her a get well gift after her amputation. Having freshly joined the organisation as an amputee and a cancer survivor, Ms Barry has become the most recent ambassador for the foundation.

Launched in 2009 by Johan Snyders, the Jumping Kids Foundation provides high-quality prosthetics to children from disadvantaged communities. Through the use of advanced and innovative technologies, Icexpress Progressive Prosthetics, based at The Innovation Hub in Tshwane, manufactures advanced prosthesis for a fraction of the ordinary price and within record time. Since inception, Jumping Kids has fitted approximately 120 disadvantaged kids with prosthetic limbs.

The Jumping Kids Foundation, through the aid from various donors, not only fits much-needed prosthetics affordably, but also focuses on the holistic healing of amputees. The combination of physiotherapy and rehabilitee training has seen its kids participate in numerous sporting events such as SA Wheelchair Tennis, South African Athletic Championships and The Warrior Race, among others.

Jumping Kids ambassador and paralympic gold medalist Arnu Fourie's prosthetic leg has been supplied and fitted by Icexpress Progressive Prosthetics. At the 2014 South African National Athletics Championships held in Stellenbosch earlier in the year, at least five Jumping Kids qualified and were included in the Gauteng team and Team Icexpress returned from the nationals with 42 medals.

The generous amount of more than R250K raised by Ms Barry will go a long way to aid other recipients to gain mobility; strength training; and renewed confidence in rejoining sports and other activities. A portion of the funding could also be used to augment the Jumping Kids Recreation Centre; a facility that was made available to the kids by The Innovation Hub.

Gauteng Growth and Development Agency

The Gauteng Growth and Development Agency (GGDA) is an agency and implementation arm of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED). The GGDA assists the GDED in facilitating and promoting sustainable job creation, economic growth and development in the Gauteng City Region. For more information on the GGDA, please contact Jeanny Morulane, Group Executive: Strategic Marketing and promotions on +27(0)82 389 2420.

The Innovation Hub

The Innovation Hub, a subsidiary of the GGDA, is Africa's first internationally accredited Science Park and is a full member of the International Association of Science Parks. It is strategically located in Tshwane, South Africa's executive capital in the 'smart' province of Gauteng. As the leading knowledge-intensive business cluster in South Africa, The Innovation Hub implements initiatives identified in the Gauteng Innovation Strategy and Green Economy Strategy to advance the economic development and growth of the province through innovation.

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