One of QASA’s main focus areas is promoting independent living for quadriplegics and paraplegics. With limited access to education and the formal labour market, and in many cases solely reliant on a disability grant, quadriplegics and paraplegics are often left with little choice but to be dependent on family members for a home. QASA’s solution is to provide self-help centres which allow communities of wheelchair users to live independently of their families. These centres provide accommodation, meals, care attendants and transport to the residents.

The philosophy behind a self-help centre is that the residents are entirely responsible for funding and managing the centre and make all decisions in respect of hiring staff and providing for the needs of the residents. The focus is not on providing a “care home” environment, but on giving wheelchair users a place to lead independent lives.