‘Pac’ aspires towards owning a home

Retired paraplegic racer Panduleni ‘Pac’ Frans is edging closer to finally having a place to call home.

Namibia’s disability sport trailblazer recently received a portion of land from the Ongwediva Town Council on which he plans to construct a house.

A physically challenged orphan, Frans (44) has lived in a dilapidated dorm at the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital for more than 30 years.

Pac, as Frans is affectionately known as, shot to prominence in 2011 when he completed a historic 700km-plus journey from Oshakati to Windhoek on a specially adapted hand-propelled wheelchair to raise awareness and the profile of disability sport in the country.

However, calamity struck as he spent over two years battling spinal tuberculosis following that epic effort.

While the objective was achieved as disability sport began to gain traction, it came at the expense of his health with the gruelling exertion taking its toll on his body.

Before that life-altering moment, the then 31-year-old Frans had lofty ambitions of becoming a world and Paralympic champion. Sadly it never came to pass.

Now, his one burning aspiration is to have a home where he can see out the rest of his days.

“My condition has caused me to be in the hospital set up as I am not able to afford a house, even though I have a desire to be integrated in the community, to own my own house and start an independent life,” Frans said in a letter through which he is soliciting assistance for building material.

“I regard myself to be a hard-working individual who has participated in many disability sport games within and outside the borders of Namibia, particularly in South Africa,” he said of his heyday.

“I have participated on numerous occasions in wheelchair racing and in hand cycling between 2006 and 2018 in South Africa and I have achieved remarkable positions.

“Most of my participation in these games were made possible by volunteers in the community who provided sponsorships.”

Frans is willing to take up employment which will enable him to realise his dream and supplement any support that comes his way.

“When I achieved that milestone from 4 to 9 July 2011 through that historic journey from Oshakati to Windhoek, the aim was to encourage people living with disabilities to know our rights and start practicing what we can to enable us to find a better way of living,” Frans said

“I’m humbly appealing to be assisted with any kind support, so I can be able to build a house and vacate the hospital premises where I have been residing for the past 32 years. I’m doing all this as to fulfil my dream of one day owning a home.”

Oshakati Intermediate Hospital acting medical superintendent Dr Korbinian Amutenya endorses Frans’ aspirations, imploring the nation to come to his aid.

“The above is a physically-challenged paraplegic and has been residing in the hospital not because of clinical needs but because of being an orphan,” Dr Amutenya said in his recommendation letter.

“Please, all are encouraged to assist him in any way possible. Be it traditional, local or regional authorities, or non-governmental organisations and individuals, they are called upon to assist this young man who is full of courage to meet his dream.”