My Story

I am manifesting my dream of creating a living/working space, which I can share with other like-minded people.  I have a degenerative muscle disease and rather than moving into assisted living, I would like to create my own assisted living, and a therapy centre to cater for people with disabilities.

The Impact

SYMBIOTIC
'Symbiotic relationships may be either obligate, i.e., necessary to the survival of at least one of the organisms involved, or facultative, where the relationship is beneficial but not essential to survival of the organisms.' Wikipedia

For me the relationship would be obligate, whereas for the other people involved it could be facultative.  

FACILITIES
First and foremost is to create a therapy centre where I can live and work, which is disabled friendly, safe, has beautiful surroundings and has the ability to have someone else on the property in case I need help.  

• Disabled friendly
• A number of suites
• Common area for running workshops for groups
• Therapy pool with ramped wheelchair access
• Sauna
• Treatment rooms (for therapists)
• Raised bed vegetable garden
• Green building - Solar heating etc, as eco-friendly as possible
• Built in a quad, so that everything can be open on the inside and we're still safe
• Green co-working facilities with internet access and office space

Why is it important to create this living centre?
A lot of people want to have a safe space where they can go for a retreat - be it a day, a week, a month or two, and also have some interaction with others. I am too young (and too stubborn) to go into an old age home or an assisted living centre. The idea of symbiosis is that we help each other and are available to each other, but not living in each other's pockets.  It's a form of Ubuntu - you exist because I exist - I help you, you help me.

Why a working space as well?
In this day and age few people have just one 9 to 5 job. Most people multi-task and have many bite-size jobs.  The idea is to create a working hub, where people can share resources in beautiful surroundings.

Why disabled friendly?
I have a disability and know how difficult it is to find living, working, relaxing space that is easily accessible and that caters for those who are still semi-mobile, and want to come and go under their own steam.

Why in the city and in the Marina da Gama?
I had a dream for 12 years of living in the Marina and now that I'm here I don't want to leave.  I have no desire to disappear into the country.  I'm a city girl, but the Marina offers everything from beautiful views, fantastic walks, waterways and a nature reserve right here in the city.

Why have a therapy pool?
I teach Tai Chi and, because of my degenerative disease, I lost the ability to do the forms, until I found a therapy pool.  The sheer joy of being able to 'walk' again, unencumbered, and feel the moving meditation that Tai Chi offers, is something I want to be able to share with others.  I have yet to find a pool however that is completely accessible to me, so I want to create a pool with hand rails and a ramped entry.

Why have a conference venue?
I facilitate personal-development through group work and would like to create a venue that is safe, affordable and accessible.  I envisage a small intimate venue where people can run workshops and have accommodation on site for live in retreats.

Why have treatment rooms?
So many people offer therapies as well as doing other corporate jobs.  To furnish and rent a therapy room is costly, so the idea is to have rooms available for short lets, by the session, the day, or however long it is needed for.  I also want them to be easily convertible into overnight rooms for visitors.

Why built in a quad?
Safety is my primary concern.  With everything being able to be opened to the inside, the indoor/outdoor space can be utilised without fear.

Why a 'green building'?
I am busy educating myself about green issues and it feels right to create a green building from the outset.  It should then be healthier to live in and easier to maintain in the long term.

Why a raised bed vegetable garden?
It is everyone's responsibility to secure our food for the future, especially in the urban environments.  We all should become urban farmers.  It needs to be raised so that people like me, who can no longer bend down on the ground can still get their hands into the earth, And what fun to feed ourselves from our own garden.

Why me?
This dream has been in my head for too long now.  Each of us is unique and has our own specific task to achieve.  I have been given this dream so it must be my responsibility to make it happen.  I want to bloom where I have been planted, and that means making full use of everything I have learned on this journey of my life. 

Why you?
I cannot do this alone.  Other people have so much to offer and I need to learn how to accept help.  Together we can make this happen, and create a wonderful centre that we can share with like minded people.

What We Need & What You Get

Once I have acquired a plot, I can then proceed to getting a 'green' architect to design the perfect eco-friendly centre.  Then the building can start and the dream become a reality.  In all I estimate that we need around R4 million.  I will do this in stages, unless everyone is so generous that we can managed this in one campaign!

If my campaign target is not reached, the money raised will be added to the monies I have already raised i.e just over R30,000 and I will keep trying until this dream is achieved.

Every donator will get recognition:
I will create a wall in the centre that will have every donator's name scribed onto it.
Gifts range from an e-book for every donator to a gift voucher to the value of your donation to be redeemed  for the use of the facilities in the centre, when it exists.

Other Ways You Can Help

I am passionate about people and my motto in life is "My purpose in life is a life of purpose".  Will you help me manifest this?  I know it's huge and it simply won't go away so now is the time to make it happen.  As Ghandi said 'Be the change you want to see in the world'.

You can help by offering:

• Ideas
• Time
• Advice
• Money
• Talents
• Services
• Materials
• Resources