New playground for cerebral palsy children’s home
It is important to share your financial success with those less fortunate in the spirit of nation building and Ubuntu
COLORFUL, brighter and happier days have finally arrived for the children of Natal Settlers Memorial Home‘s Hepburn House, a home for children challenged with cerebral palsy.
The centre, which is home to 41 children, was gifted on Saturday, with specialised playground equipment and specialised wheelchairs courtesy of philanthropist Abdul Razak Moosa and Shereen Moosa on behalf of their daughter, Ghazala, who has also had to overcome many obstacles living with cerebral palsy.
Seeing the joy the specially-adapted flatbed swings and roundabout brought to the children, Mr Moosa called upon the business leaders in attendance to support institutions such as Natal Settlers.
“It is important to share your financial success with those less fortunate in the spirit of nation building and Ubuntu. There is so much need to help the less fortunate and disabled, so that people from all spheres of life can improve the living standards of all who live in this beautiful country,” said Moosa.
Aneesa Vawda of non-profit organisation, Helping Hands 786, who partnered with Mr Moosa to facilitate the project said: “The event went so well. The rain stayed away, the children were happy (we even raised money to buy them all new clothes for the event) and everything just came together. Thank you to Mr Moosa for making this possible.”
Deputy Mayor Fawzia Peer who was the guest of honor said: “I have to be honest, it’s my first time being here. As a city we have numerous outreach programs, however, due to the exceeding demand we cannot meet all of those demands.”
“We are always grateful for civil society when it helps. I would also like thank Natal Settlers for making this facility available for children and providing them with healthy nutrition. We also encourage the general public to lend their support to the home.”
General manager of the home, Belinda Naidoo explained to those present that 40 per cent of the funding to run the home was sourced from governemnt. “The other depends a lot on donations. The children must have full nutritional care.”
“Only 7 of the children we have here receive regular visitation from their families. The other 34 don’t have anywhere to go, this is their home and it is up to us to ensure that they feel at home. The amount of work that the Helping Hands 786 puts in this organization is amazing, it is through their work that more people know about this place.”
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of permanent movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people. Often, symptoms include poor coordination, stiff muscles, weak muscles and tremors. There may be problems with sensation, vision, hearing, swallowing and speaking. Often babies with cerebral palsy do not roll over, sit, crawl, or walk as early as other children of their age. Difficulty with the ability to think or reason and seizures each occurs in about one third of people with CP. While the symptoms may get more noticeable over the first few years of life, the underlying problems do not worsen over time.
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