This exciting new project was set up in August 2015 by a group of highly experienced paediatric therapists in the Athlone area of Cape Town. It is providing early intervention for babies from birth up to the age of two who have developmental delays and disabilities and are unable to afford therapy.
The Bhabhisana vision is to provide early multi-disciplinary therapeutic intervention - which includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy - for babies between 0-2 years of age, and to train and support their parents to effectively handle and facilitate early childhood development skills in their baby with a disability or developmental problem.
State paediatric services for poorer clients are under severe pressure in South Africa. Bhabhisana is providing a wonderful early intervention safety net while these families wait for therapeutic appointments for their babies within their district health services. This waiting period can be anything from 3-6 months in which valuable intervention time is lost.
The Bhabhisana team works with the family during this waiting period and then liaises with the therapists in the district for a smooth handover. They already have many success stories of babies improving during the 3-6 months they are seen by Bhabhisana with some babies even being discharged. The direct translation of Bhabhisana from Xhosa is ‘Lets help each other fly’ which is a very apt description of what this organisation achieves.
FoT have helped by providing funds for equipment and contributing towards some of the initial running costs. We would love to continue to support them in the wonderful work they do.