A mother’s love fights the odds
A Rivonia mother, Adi de Hoop, has fought with great courage and determination for her daughter to be accepted into mainstream schooling.
“EVEN Nelson Mandela said every disabled child should be permitted entry into mainstream schools,” an impassioned Adi de Hoop said.
The Rivonia mother was speaking to the Chronicle at the Unesco and Southern African Association for Learning and Educational Differences (Saaled) Inclusion Conference at the Education Campus of Wits University in Parktown.
As its name suggests, ‘inclusion’ means the inclusion of people with disabilities into public schools.
Adi’s daughter Nimoe (11) has been turned away from every public school her mother has approached because of her cerebral palsy. “On one occasion, I had to write an official letter stating that cerebral palsy is not contagious,” said Adi. With refused entry into school, Nimoe is now home-schooled. Adi left her job to assist her with her schooling.
As any other proud mother would, Adi showed the Chronicle video clips of her daughter stored on her phone. One shows her on her 11th birthday, telling her audience she slept late that day because it was her birthday. Another shows her special relationship with younger sister, Ella. Ella, a toddler in the clip, is painting make-up onto her sister’s face. Another shows her riding a horse. She has been riding her whole life.
“Disabled people are still living in apartheid,” said World of Inclusion spokesman Richard Rieser, who travelled from the UK to address conference delegates. He believes special schools are not the answer for people with disabilities. “They should be included in schools with everyone else and not sidelined because they are different.”He said he believes mothers shouldn’t be the ones fighting. “The powers that be need to take responsibility in ensuring equal human rights.”
“As soon as people see Nimoe’s wheelchair, they see someone different to them and they don’t want to know more,” said Adi. “I shouldn’t have to hold her up to people and say, “This is her, please just give her a chance to get to know her. Please accept her”.
Rieser said in the UK that disabled children were readily accepted into mainstream schools and stronger legislation and enforcement thereof, and a shift in the attitudes of the public at large, were needed in South Africa.
“This is the Rainbow Nation,” said Adi. “Nimoe is as much a part of the rainbow as everybody else.”
Adi asks other moms in similar situations to contact her on hdeh@iafrica.com
