On a quest to give mobility to every African amputee and become a bobsleigh Paralympian – Mike Stevens

Mike Steven’s life changed drastically at the age of 12 when he became a double amputee after being electrocuted at the Vaaldam. After years in hospital, he could return to school, but it was in a wheelchair. Prosthetics changed his life and by the time he finished high school Stevens told BizNews he was “fully adapted, mobile and wanted to do things.” A period when Stevens could not afford his own prosthetics made him realise what other amputees, especially children go through, and he joined Jumping Kids, a non-profit organisation that provides access to prosthetic equipment for children. Stevens always enjoyed sport and being able to participate at a competitive level, he rowed, sailed and kite-surfed but the tricky Paralympic categories prevented him from following in the footsteps of his father, Geoff Stevens who was an Olympian sailor in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic. A chance meeting with another para athlete led to a path down an icy track at speeds of over 120km/h and Stevens became one of the few para bobsledders in Africa. Stevens told BizNews of his hope to include bobsleigh as a Paralympic event, where his ‘vasbyt’ comes from and how he wants to turn Jumping Kids into a social enterprise. South Africa, he said, could be a leader in Africa in providing prosthetics for the growing number of amputees. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices