Remember Sipho – the young boy who spent his days all alone in a dark shack before he came to LITTLE EDEN? Since we shared his story with you, so many of our friends have asked how he’s getting on.

He absolutely loves it here! Being surrounded by people . . . participating in music sessions, especially drumming, have helped him blossom.

But there’s something else about Sipho that’s rather special; he loves to help.

After music therapy, he and his friend Precious, who also lives in Lilac Wing, stay behind to help collect all the instruments and put them away. They also try to push those children who are in wheelchairs to where they need to go.

Their understanding, empathy and concern is all the more surprising when you think that both Sipho and Precious suffer from mental illness as well as profound intellectual disability.

And they’re not the only ones who choose to do something useful to help others. Dorothy insists on helping Sister Tessa look after the younger children in Green Wing. She can always be relied on to go and fetch a clean bib or nappy, soothe a fractious little one or spend hours showing them how to stack building blocks one on top of another.

At Elvira Rota Village, Naledi (pictured above with Site Manager, Paolo) gets up early every morning and waits for Paolo’s door to open so he can help with whatever needs doing that day – whether it’s repairing something, loading and offloading items from the cars, or tending the gardens.

Just like you or me, many of the residents at LITTLE EDEN need a purpose in life. The ‘work’ they do here satisfies that need to feel useful and important. Thank you for helping to make our Homes places where individuals are valued and respected for their unique abilities, rather than pitied for their disabilities.