Yanga will never experience life the way we do

Severely affected by Down Syndrome and visually impaired as well, he was silent and lacked the confidence to try and walk. This inactivity led to excess weight, making him even more reluctant to move! He rarely interacted with anyone, preferring to sit outside in the sun on his own. Isolated. Immobile. Unreachable.

But we wanted more for Yanga! We wanted to help him try to walk … discover colours, textures and sounds … make friends and be part of a group.

And, thanks to support from people who care – people like you – Yanga is now a completely different boy from the one who first came to LITTLE EDEN in 2005.

Through intensive physiotherapy we got him out of his wheelchair. At first he could only take two steps. Now he’s walking! As he became more active, the excess weight fell off, and he became more animated and outgoing. Through the use of sensory boards, Yanga discovered colours and textures; he would bring the materials close to his face to see and feel them.

He’s also more vocal – although he still only makes sounds rather than words. These days, he laughs a lot and even goes up to other residents to hug them!

Of course, none of this happened overnight. It took time, patience, skill and experience. And the support of special people who contribute financially to make our work possible.

And because Yanga is just one of 300 children and adults at LITTLE EDEN – all needing specialised care and therapy to help them make the most of life – we’re hoping you will join our circle of supporters and make a generous contribution towards our work now.

Your gift of R275, R550, or any amount you can spare – made online right now – will help children like Yanga to reach their full potential.

Thank you for caring about children with profound intellectual disability.