Concert to raise Down Syndrome awareness

DOWN Syndrome Association KZN will be hosting a concert to provide entertainment for the various communities of the Queensburgh area on Saturday, 5 December. The show will serve as a social gathering as well as a fundraiser for the organisation and will be hosted at the Veritas Church Hall on 152 Stella Road, Queensburgh starting at 3pm and tickets are R50 per person.

Fundraising co-ordinator, Percilan Thaver,said they hope to use the event as as platform of celebrating the country’s diversity. “We are expecting a multi-cultural and multi-racial audience through which the South African culture will also be celebrated,” he said. A variety of entertainment is lined up and guests can expect performances by Scottish musicians – The Victory Pipelines, rock band 5 Tone, ballet dancing and musical solos.

The Down Syndrome Association KZN is an organisation committed to finding ways to improve the quality of life of all persons with Down Syndrome, promoting the idea that they have the right to live with independence, dignity, respect and security as valued adults and full citizens in society. It endeavours to empower families through the dissemination of information, encourages research in the fields of early intervention, education, medical aspects, employment and civil rights. “On this basis, we plead for your support. We have planned a fund-raiser in the form of an afternoon tea concert. For this, we humbly request to invite the public to the event,” Thaver added.

Through this event, the organisation hopes to promote awareness and tolerance. “We envisage this to be a day of celebration with family, friends and people who want to raise awareness, and raise the hope of a better world for all people with Down Syndrome and intellectual impairment. Through this event, we are hoping to promote the fact that people who have an intellectual disability are people who have the same dreams, rights, feelings and aspirations as everyone and to encourage interaction between disabled and able-bodied persons,” said Thaver.

Down Syndrome Association KZN is a non-profit organization for persons with Down syndrome and their families. The disorder is the most common cause for developmental disability and is genetic, occurring in 1 660 live births in South Africa. It is associated with a number of medical problems and a range of developmental difficulties. For more information, contact Percilan on 031 463 1629 or 078 386 9980 alternatively call Angie Govindsami on 031 464 2055.