Access to education, life skills, job skills and work opportunities remain a challenge for people with intellectual disabilities, and with March being Intellectual Disability Awareness Month, one organisation is creating awareness to put an end to the stigma.
Cape Mental Health is holding various events for the awareness month, with its theme, “I am not my disability, see my ability!”
The highlight is the annual fun and sports day, known as the Trolley Race, which was held at Cape Mental Health’s Athlone Training Workshops Unlimited (TWU) on Thursday March 14.
Another event was the open day at its three community-based special education and care Centres in Heideveld, Mitchell’s Plain and Khayelitsha, on Friday March 8.
The centres cater for the special needs of more than 180 children with severe and profound intellectual disability who live in poor communities in Cape Town.
“Intellectual Disability Awareness Month is here to build the confidence of people living with a disability, to include them in community life, and break down the stigma associated with intellectual disability,” said Cape Mental Health spokesperson Barbara Meyer.
Cape Mental Health will also hold an open day at its skills training workshops in Athlone, Khayelitsha, Mitchell’s Plain and Retreat on Wednesday March 27, from 10am to 3pm.
According to Ms Meyer, the open day is all about strengthening ties with the community, including those interested in employing people with intellectual disabilities.
“They will get to know about the value-added work done at the workshops. This month’s activities will continue with stories of the achievements of our TWU trainees, and we will celebrate our singers, dancers, designers, Special Olympics swimmers and marathon runners who attend TWU,” Ms Meyer said.
Among those who are being celebrated is Liam Chase Trelawney, 22, from Mitchell’s Plain, who attends the life skills training at the TWU in Athlone. Liam is a swimmer living with an intellectual disability and speech impediment.
“He had to overcome many challenges, but one thing that stands out about this young man is his ability to swim really well. Since learning to swim when he was 11, he has won numerous medals on provincial, national and international levels. On 9 April 2018, he represented the Western Cape province in Johannesburg for the Special Olympics. He also won two gold medals at the Special Olympics that year,” Ms Meyer said.
Cape Mental Health CEO Dr Ingrid Daniels said removing the “dis” from “disability” helped society to “focus on and strengthen the abilities of people with intellectual disability”.
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