Gallery Video
MOSSEL BAY NEWS AND VIDEOS - The ETHAN (Education and Training Hub for Autism Needs) Project, in partnership with the Mossel Bay Municipality, the International Association for Spelling to Communicate and the Zekwande Foundation, launched the "I am Able" campaign on Thursday, 15 September, at Kwano Beehives in KwaNonqaba, Mossel Bay.
The aim of the community outreach campaign is to make Mossel Bay the first autism- and disability-friendly town in Africa.
PHOTO GALLERY: ETHAN (Education and Training Hub for Autism Needs) Project
According to Diane Hobbs, chairman of the ETHAN Project, the "I am Able" campaign speaks to the human rights of being different, but also being able to do whatever we put our minds to.
"The ETHAN Project will work with the Mossel Bay Municipality in terms of making sure buildings are wheelchair accessible, autism friendly and accommodate hearing- and visually-impaired people."
Hobbs said plans included the following: "If we go into a shop for instance, that there are people who know what autism is, what the signs and symptoms of autism are, why they behave differently, what having a meltdown in a store means and how to handle it. We need to create empathy for neuro divergent people."
The Mossel Bay Municipality supports the "I am Able" initiative by training first responders from the different law enforcement services to know how to handle an autistic person at an accident scene or in any other emergency situation.
According to Elize Nel, the municipality's director of Community Services, the first responders came up with the idea of a safety sticker which goes on a car to alert emergency workers of a person with special needs on board.
The sticker will alert first responders and enable them to treat people accordingly.
The municipality also helps with the distribution of information packages. "Creating awareness of autism is very important for us and we will support the campaign in any way we can."
The Association for Persons with Disabilities also attended the launch with several children and adults in wheelchairs taking part in the activities.
Elizabeth Vosseller from the International Association for Spelling2Communicate, says: "We believe communication is a basic human right.
"And we believe that access to the entire community through inclusion, support and education, in employment, relationships and friendships, is important for every human being.
"We are so impressed with the work being done in Mossel Bay and we are very happy to be here to support the communication aspect of that."
VIDEO - Elize Nel, gesels oor bewusmakingsveldtog van "first responders" (Video: Alet Engelbrecht, Mossel Bay Advertiser).
VIDEO - Elisabeth Vosseller, on Spelling2Communicate (Video: Alet Engelbrecht, Mossel Bay Advertiser ).
VIDEO - Diane Hobbs speaks about 'I am able' campaign (Video: Alet Engelbrecht, Mossel Bay Advertiser ).
Some of the children who will benefit from the "I am Able" and Spelling2Communicate project.
The Association for Persons with Disabilities (APD) group, who attended the information session held by ETHAN.
'We bring you the latest Mossel Bay, Garden Route news'
