Raising funds for world class centre

The “hope moms” of Imbalito Hope College (IHC) organised a Mother’s Day tea last Saturday at IHC’s new premises in Maidstone, to raise funds for the academy.

IHC provides individualised education and therapy for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The funds raised will be used to buy much needed iPads for the children to help them with communication and visual learning.

IHC director and psychologist, Nirasha Dhaniram, said children with ASD usually have a very high IQ but due to a neurological problem, are unable to speak and therefore the iPads play a crucial role as a means of communication.

“These children are aware of and understand everything that is going on around them but because they can barely speak, if at all, become highly frustrated,” said Dhaniram.

She said there is no medication for ADS. “Therapy and teaching is their medicine.”

There is no cure for ASD but Dhaniram said through therapy and teaching, a child’s life can be transformed so that he can live well, be a graduate, be independent, and live a meaningful life.

She said providing among others, occupational, speech, psychological and ASD behavioural therapy, the Hope College programme was a blend of best practice teaching and therapy with a loving approach.

“Our programme is scientific with the love of a mother,” said Dhaniram who is also a mother to an autistic child.

Dhaniram said the academy followed a standardised American curriculum which means the child can continue his education anywhere in the world.

She said the academy’s curriculum was also Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) compliant (CAPS is a government guideline policy for a subjects listed in the National Curriculum Statement Grades R to 12).

Dhaniram’s husband a general practitioner, Dr Basil Dhaniram, carries about 70 percent of the academy’s cost and the academy is looking for funding to help it and its pupils to reach their full potential.

“It has been a long and painful 10 year roller coaster journey to get the tutoring and therapy centre going,” said Dhaniram.

With eyes welling up, Dhaniram tells how rewarding it is to see an ASD child turn around and live a meaningful, independent life, reminding her what all her efforts are for.