Afikile’s story: Take a walk in her shoes

Afikile* (2) was born premature and with complications that led to her diagnosis of cerebral palsy at an early age. Her developmental progress followed an unexpected timeline so her parents, confused and without any meaningful knowledge of her condition, reached out to local clinics for support. 

It was at one of these clinic visits in 2022 that our Siyakwazi team met Afikile, at only 9 months old. We have supported Afikile and her family ever since, providing therapy input, resources, education, appropriate stimulation and support at home – and we have seen tremendous progress in her gross and fine motor skills. Afikile is now a proud walker, independently getting around and happiest when exploring her world on her own two feet. 

Cerebral palsy impacts muscle strength, mobility and control. Much of our invention for Afikile has centred on therapy, including achieving physical goals like sitting upright and walking. When she joined our programme, she could confidently grasp at objects and lift her head when lying on her tummy. Working with these strengths, we added playful activities, stretches and exercises to her tailored therapy plan that would allow her to practise core stability and other important foundational skills for independent movement. 

At home, Afikile’s family resolved to support their daughter in any way she needed and worked with her every day, always taking advantage of our home visits to try new things and following Afikile’s therapy plan as best they could. We also gave Afikile a standing frame and a corner chair that helped her learn to sit and stand at home, making everything she was doing at her regular therapy sessions even more effective. At the end of 2023, Afikile participated in Block Week with her grandmother completing five intensive days of therapy and education at the Siyakwazi Resource Centre. Both came away with lifelong lessons and skills – Afikile has grown in leaps and bounds, and her grandmother has a new outlook on disability that is truly transformational. 

“Ngiyabonga kakhulu into uSiyakwazi oyenzele umntanami nezinto osifundisa. Ufike kunzima ngisho ukwamukela kumawakhe kodwa manje siyawubona umehluko futhi sesiqeqeshekile ngendlela yokusiza u Afikile.

“I am grateful for the support our family received from Siyakwazi as it has helped us accept Afikile’s disability and now we understand her condition better and how to support her.”

Afikile and her family are a true testament to so many of Siyakwazi’s core values – the importance of early intervention, the value of family participation, and how a holistic approach to supporting disability can help a child to run their own race. 

*Name changed to protect privacy