An autism awareness campaign run by Randburg Clinic School (RCS) is making its way through various venues this April, in commemoration of World Autism Awareness Month, with the 2026 theme being Autism and Humanity- Every Life Has Value.

The school’s latest stop is at Ferndale High School on April 16.

Read more: Autism South Africa urges us all embrace autism inclusion

The campaign aims to educate learners about autism and foster inclusion. This will help to break down the stigma that surrounds the condition.

Ferndale High Grade 12 learner, Tlotlo Simelani, said the campaign helped him gain more insight about autism.

“We are all human, so everyone deserves to be treated with the same level of respect and love,” he said. Tlotlo added that with the knowledge he had gained, he will now be more patient, having understood the realities of individuals living with autism.

Teachers from Randburg Clinic School had an opportunity to share their experiences with autistic children, as they are with them on a daily basis in the classroom.

Teacher Anita Molebatsi stated that communication remains one of the biggest challenges when dealing with autistic children.

Also read: Linden celebrates Autism Awareness Day

Molebatsi mentioned that she sometimes has a class of eight learners who have different kinds of communication methods. Some are verbal and are able to participate in a conversation, some are verbal but cannot participate in a conversation due to understanding, while others are simply non-verbal. So, they use visual cards, pictures, sign language and gestures to communicate.

“I feel like I learn every day, they teach me things I did not know. They teach you how to teach them basically,” she said.

For parents, having to navigate life with an autistic child can have its own challenges and rewards. Mbali Kekana, who is an office assistant at the school and whose son was diagnosed at the age of three, described her experience as amazing after having accepted her son, Letlotlo, as he is.

“I have two sons, one who is autistic and one who is not on the spectrum, so we had to learn and adjust, and at the very same time we had to teach each other because we are different from any other family,” she said.

She added that her son has brought unexpected blessings and joy into her life.

“Letlotlo means treasure; it is something that we treasure. So, if it were not for Letlotlo, I would not have this comfortable job; I had to learn. So, I look at it positively, Letlotlo is our blessing, that is why we treasure him.”

The campaign will run throughout April, with the goal of building more inclusive, accepting and informed communities when it comes to autism.

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