COMMUNITY: Helping children with autism to lead happy and fulfilling lives: Gauteng-based Bohlale Ba Rena Foundation to hold a Gala Dinner to mark Autism Month and raise funds for the Thulasizwe Autism School

GUEST: BOITUMELO KEETSE - Founder of the Bohlale Ba Rena Foundation

COMMUNITY: Helping children with autism to lead happy and fulfilling lives: Gauteng-based Bohlale Ba Rena Foundation to hold a Gala Dinner to mark Autism Month and raise funds for the Thulasizwe Autism School

 

 

World Autism Awareness Month is celebrated worldwide in April every year and is dedicated to raising awareness and sharing insights about this complex neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and engage with other people. While the incidence of autism is on the rise in countries around the world, it has been called a quiet health crisis as it does not receive nearly as much attention as physical illnesses like diabetes and cancer. Yet, with the right support, both children and adults on the autism spectrum can lead happy and fulfilling lives. 

 

To put the condition into perspective, recent data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US indicates that approximately 1 out of every 44 children (around 2%) in that country have been identified as having Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). And, although similar data is not available in South Africa, experts in the field estimate that local prevalence broadly tracks that in the US. Children from low-income homes are, however, disproportionately affected as these households have little or no access to information, specialised medical facilities or treatment. 

 

“This represents not only a major gap in our healthcare system, but also a lost opportunity to make a meaningful difference to children with ASD,” says Florence Dzedzemane head teacher at the Thulasizwe Autism School in Orlando West, Soweto. “And, needless to say, one of the greatest challenges we face is raising the funding necessary to provide the kind of specialised services they need in order to develop their potential and participate in family and social life.”    

 

Raising a child with ASD is not easy for parents, she says, especially as children with the disorder often have difficulty in conveying meaning through speech or by using non-verbal cues. This can make communication very difficult because the child might not understand the need to reciprocate when the parent has said something or, indeed, might not know how to do that. These problems are frequently exacerbated by a lack of social understanding so it is Thulasizwe’s mission is to offer children and families a range of interventions to help them deal with ASD collectively as a family. 

 

As part of its annual fundraising programme, Bohale Ba Rena (BBR) and Sandton-based law firm, Kekana Hlatswayo Radebe Attorneys (KHR), will be hosting a Gala Dinner to mark Autism Month and to raise funds for Thulasizwe . The dinner will be held on Wednesday, 26 April 2023 at the Maslow Hotel in Sandton and BBR is inviting supporters to purchase corporate tickets for the event.   

 

“Many children with ASD have special educational needs and, until very recently, there were only nine autism-specific public schools in South Africa,” says Boitumelo Keetse, the founder of the Bohlale Ba Rena Foundation 

 

While government opened an additional 18 autism-specific schools in 2018, they generally have long waiting lists, which means that many children with ASD do not have access to educational facilities that can cater to their needs. 

 

“That’s why we’ve partnered with KHR to assist Thulasizwe,” she says. “The school offers specialised educational services for children with ASD and caters for the early childhood phase, the foundation phase and the senior phase as well as offering vocational training.” 

 

With government under pressure to provide both general and specialised services for millions of children in underprivileged communities, it is critical for civil society to play an active role in supporting institutions like Thulasizwe.  “People with ASD need special skills to be able to navigate the social world and to lead happy and productive lives,” says Sophie Thabang ‘Peppy’ Kekana, KHR’s Managing Director.