The concept of the Speranta Centre came from the director of the centre. After having two children, both born with disabilities, she refused to abandon them. The usual response to this is to give up your child, send them to the state home and to try again. Determination and love for her children inspired the creation of the Speranta Centre.

The Centre is active and caring on a daily basis for over 250 children with disabilities with the focus of specific therapies, providing for their needs and facilitating integration into the community.

A major focus is to integrate disabled children into mainstream education. Primary and secondary schools are being equipped with ramps and other essential access and infrastructure needs. In addition, teachers are trained in how to work with disabled children, thus creating an anti-discrimating environment and cultural change.

A variety of other programs are provided to support children with disabilities and their families. Programs include: A Specialists outreach, The School for Mothers, Home Schooling, Step to Specialisation, The Weekend Club, The Social Assistance in Homes, Information Program, Summer Camps and The Vitamin S Project.

Through these programs specialists are visiting children who cannot reach the centre, mothers are being taught techniques to care for their children enabling them to be fully involved in the care of their child and teachers are visiting children who need extra learning support. Children are being prepared for the world of work using IT skill-based programs; Social needs of severely disabled children are being met and society are being informed about the issues surrounding disabilities bringing about change in attitude. The Summer camps provide respite care for the parents and the Vitamin S program brings entertainment and stimulation to children in hospitals, where without this days would be empty leaving the children to cope on their own.

The Centre continues to strive for greater acceptance and inclusion of children with disabilities with great determination and love.

Future:

The inclusion of more schools and disabled children into the education programme will gradually remove the stigma of being disabled and enable a greater level of inclusion within society.

ChildAid is seeking to develop an “holistic” care approach from birth to adolescence incorporating early intervention, rehabilitation therapy, and social/educational inclusion. Speranta would play a key role in this strategy.