Local centre aims to create safe space for children with disabilities
The school recently received a donation from a local estate, which raised funds as part of an annual wine auction.
When Scheán Babst founded the Chrysalis School & Developmental Centre (then known as the Baby Therapy Centre) 31 years ago, she hoped to create a space where children with disabilities could receive the dignity and care they deserved to develop to their fullest potential.
“We know what it means to feel helpless, to feel alone, and to still want the best for your child,” said the mother to a 19-year-old son who is autistic, non-verbal, and fully dependent on others for his daily care.
Chrysalis School was founded to meet the growing need to support these children who are often overlooked by conventional schooling systems.
The organisation began in 1994 and later expanded in 2008 to include a free specialised school.
To date, the school supports 35 school learners and 10 children in a daycare therapy unit, offering services to children from across Tshwane, regardless of background or diagnosis.
Babst said it operates as a multidisciplinary therapy centre, focused on therapy-based learning rather than academic achievement. Their team includes occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and music therapists, a dietician, and more.
“The children we help often live with conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism, genetic syndromes, brain injuries, and developmental delays.
“This is not a job for any of us. We are doing this because it is deeply personal.”
Residents of Lynnwood Gardens Estate recently came together to raise R100 000 for Chrysalis School. The funds were raised through the estate’s annual wine auction, a community event organised by resident Andrew van Berg and the estate’s social committee.
Babst said the donation will support the school’s ongoing outreach projects and its Godfather Project, a bursary initiative that connects donors directly with a child in need.
Van Berg explained that the wine auction, now in its eighth year, has become the estate’s flagship charity event. He said they initially aimed to raise R50 000, but residents were so generous that they doubled that.
“As a community, we have always had an open hand. This is about showing up for each other,” he said.
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