Run 30km and help children access their voices
Pathways School in Westville is celebrating its 30th anniversary with two exciting fundraisers called "Accessing Their Voices". The goal is to empower learners with disabilities to communicate effectively using technology.
TO celebrate the school’s 30th anniversary, Pathways in Westville is hosting two fundraisers, called ‘Accessing Their Voices’, to bring assistive communication technology into the classroom.
According to Nadia Jackman, a staff member at the school, this technology will empower the learners to communicate with their families, teachers, and the world around them, helping them to be seen, heard, and understood.
The first event will be for the whole of September. This is a challenge to walk/run a total of 30km in the month of September in celebration of 30 years. This is a Strava distance challenge and the entrance fee is R100.
The other event is taking place this Saturday, September 6.
Also read: Pathways principal retires after 26 years
“We will be running a 30km loop from the Pathways premises in Westville – anyone can join and can either do the full distance or part thereof. This run has been planned in collaboration with Dean from Beloved Long Runs. The run will start at 05:00,” said the school’s Nadia Jackman.
The school, for children with special needs, opened three decades ago with just three children. It has grown to 76 children and young adults with 35 full-time staff and a host of carers and facilitators.
“As a non-profit organisation deeply rooted in compassion and care, Pathways has been a safe space for learning, growth, and belonging. We are inviting our community to help us give something truly life-changing to our learners: a voice, 75% of the children and 63% of the adults at Pathways are non-verbal.
“This means that every day, the majority of our learners face enormous challenges simply trying to express their needs, thoughts, and emotions. Imagine having ideas, opinions, or even just a joke to share, but no way to communicate it. It’s heartbreaking, and it’s a reality we are committed to changing,” explained Jackman.
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