This September, Shonaquip Social Enterprise will travel from Cape Town to Düsseldorf to join the international assistive technology and rehabilitation community at REHACARE 2026, from 23–26 September.
For more than 30 years, we have been working to improve access to mobility and assistive technology in South Africa and across the Southern African region. Our work has taught us that the technology itself is only one part of the solution.
We have also learned that mobility is about much more than getting from one place to another. Independence isn’t measured by distance; it’s measured by possibility. It is about having the freedom and confidence to participate in everyday life, to explore your surroundings, connect with your community and experience the places that matter to you.
Living without barriers.
That is why we design our mobility solutions for real life, including the life that happens beyond the pavement. Parks, beaches, trails and outdoor spaces should not be places that mobility technology limits people from accessing. They are part of our communities, our experiences, and our opportunities to participate. For us, designing for outdoor mobility is therefore not simply about where a product can go; it is about helping create greater independence, participation, and inclusion.
This perspective has shaped the way we approach assistive technology. We see it not simply as a product, but as part of a wider system that enables a person to live, learn, work and participate in their community.
Working in South Africa, where resources, infrastructure and specialist services cannot always be taken for granted, has challenged us to develop solutions that are adaptable, repairable and built for real life and to invest in the people, skills and services that allow those solutions to work over time.
We believe that experience is relevant far beyond our own region.
Across the world, assistive technology systems are facing growing demands and difficult questions about access, skills, service delivery and sustainability. The circumstances may be different, but many of the challenges are familiar.
That is why we are coming to REHACARE. We want to meet people who are asking the same questions. We want to share what we have learned, learn from others, and explore what we can build together.
For ShonaquipSE, this is also the beginning of a new chapter. We are exploring international partnerships and opportunities to share our experience beyond the markets in which we have traditionally worked.
We are not coming to Düsseldorf simply to enter a new market. We are coming to be part of a global conversation about how assistive technology can work better, for the people who need it, and for the systems that support them.
Because ultimately, inclusion is not achieved by products alone. It is achieved by systems and solutions that work in the real world.
We look forward to seeing you in Düsseldorf.
23–26 September 2026 | REHACARE | Düsseldorf, Germany
