Mothers showing care for disabled children

A group of mothers, having no facilities and day care centres for disabled children, came together with the help of a social service practitioner, Mandla Gxowa, to open a day care centre which will benefit children living with disability.

Gxowa explains his interest in helping the women as a form of bringing development to the community and helping to ease the burden of parents and families with disabled children.

“While working in the private sector, I saw that in more affluent areas, disabled children are given a chance to better their conditions through therapy and stimulation processes and that’s exactly what I wanted to do for the children here,” he says.

Before moving to the current premises in Ndaba Street, they ran their care centre from a church which was made available to them.

To take care of 19 children with down syndrome, cerebral paralysis and autism, the eight mothers underwent training with the Department of Health.

The children also receive occupational therapy from a therapist who visits the centre every week.

Gxowa says they are faced with a number of challenges, such as a need for equipment, kitchen utensils and groceries to ensure a safe and healthy environment for the children.

Xoliswa Sinyanya, a mother, says it is important that children living with disability are taken care of and receive the kind of treatment that will enhance their senses as they grow older.

She further encourages parents to take their children to centres which cater for such children and to stop hiding from the community.

“It’s still an issue in our society where disabled children are not exposed to the kind of help they need, because parents are shy about their conditions.

“All these children need is love, care and patience, which is what we seek to give them here,” adds Sinyanya.

The centre is open from Monday to Friday, from 8.30am till 3.30pm.