Category: Latest News

My name is Emily Zawe and I have type 2 Osteogenisis Imperfecta (brittle bones disease). To date, I have had 47 fractures and 10 surgeries. Growing up with Osteogenisis Imperfecta has been a difficult task to achieve but I’ve made it this far as strong as ever and this is my story….. so far.  I was diagnosed with Osteogenisis Imperfecta when I was 18 months old. My family and I were forced to relocate to South Africa for better treatment which I receive from Steve Biko Hospital.  At age 3 I started attending school at Balo and Friends Crèche. As a pre-scholar barely out of the toddler ages it was pretty rough. I was not allowed to run jump or climb jungle gyms because of the fear of falling and…

Today we have the privilege of sharing a story from a mothers heart. Her trials, her triumphs, her strengths and her challenges.  We met Tamara Zawe a few months ago through our Information and Communication programme and what was most memorable about the conversation is that our programme officer ended up feeling more inspired after having spoken to Zamara!  We trust that as we have just finished celebrating mothers day this past week, that you would be inspired as this story touches on various challenges and thoughts that countless mothers encounter in our country when standing in the gap for their children with diverse needs. Emily Zawe is a young lady aged 15 years old born in Zimbabwe on the 30th of January 2003, diagnosed at about eighteen months with…

When President Cyril Ramaphosa presented his first State of the Nation address in Parliament on February 16, he called up the memory of the recently deceased music legend Hugh Masekela and invited South Africans to “lend a hand”. Social media was alive with requests for the president to #SendMe, in response to this moving call. Unfortunately, children with disabilities, their parents and disability rights activists have not received Ramaphosa’s promises with equal optimism. We have become numb to winning slogans and passing references to children with disabilities’ plight in political speeches. We have also learnt through bitter experience that no slogan or symbolic gesture can replace the systematic overhaul of the basic education system that is required to ensure an inclusive education for all children. To continue reading the article as…

Today, five members of the Right to Education for Children with Disabilities Alliance (R2ECWD) took our fight for access to quality education for all children all the way to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities in Geneva. Though inclusive education is a right “ultimately, segregation remains the prevailing attitude towards education for children with disabilities” in South Africa, we told the Committee. Leading R2ECWD’s submission, Robyn Beere the Director of Inclusive Education South Africa emphasised the urgency and depth of the crisis in inclusive education in South Africa: “Systemic transformation of the general education system has not been achieved and urgent attention must be given to the drastic improvement of quality education in all schools children with disabilities currently attend. Children with disabilities, particularly in rural…

“With the spotlight being on literacy this month, we realise that for many children, and their caregivers, this can be an extremely difficult time especially when literacy is a struggle and challenge.  We, therefore, continue to share some of our past articles as a means of giving guidance and advice when it comes to supporting children who, because of their barriers to learning, struggle with reading and writing.  This week’s article was written by retired teacher and IESA facilitator, Leatitia Brummer.” In our June (2013) newsletter, we discussed the fears and adventures of ‘crying Robyn’, and others who struggled with the transition to big school. However, many big boys and girls cannot cry but find the transition from Foundation phase to Intermediate and Senior phases equally difficult and even more…

Making transitions easier: Leatitia Brummer Despite the teacher’s attempts to console her, Robyn has been crying bitterly since her mother left her at school. The rest of the Grade 1 class does not quite understand her behaviour. Some are laughing and one child is chanting “cry baby”. This makes Robyn cry even louder. The teacher explains to us that Robyn has been crying since the beginning of the year. Even after the crying has stopped she keeps asking when her mother will fetch her. According to the teacher some children are so anxious that it is extremely difficult to get them interested in the activities at school. This prevents them from learning and also distracts the attention of the rest of the class. The principal of Northlake Preparatory School says:…

In the article below, our ECD Trainer, Cindy Olivier, highlights the important role parents play in the parent-teacher partnership.  We trust you enjoy.  For full newsletter click here The best thing any teacher can do is to get to know the parents of learners and to establish ways of keeping regular contact with parents. Building a good relationship with parents/caregivers can be one of the main factors in supporting a child who is experiencing barriers to learning and development. This can be a challenge for busy teachers and parents who have their hands full but, a good teacher-parent partnership can save so much time and it creates the great opportunity for the child to develop to his/her full potential both in school and at home. As part of our Inclusive…

Shaakirah’s family first made contact with IESA’s Information & Support service in May 2015. Early in April they were invited to share their story on ENCA news.  Mom was feeling very nervous, so I promised to come around and sit with them before the interview.   Shaakirah will be turning eleven this year and has never been accepted into the schooling system.  Due to her parents' perseverance she now attends the Carbanado Autism Centre, an NGO operating out of a local high school and so, at last, has the opportunity to be part of a stimulating programme and educated in a way suited to her needs. As I sat in the home of this family, their humility and hospitality were so tangible.  It was an experience that I will always treasure. As…