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Who we serve

Children who come to Bizweni Centre have been diagnosed with:

As well as other syndromes, or are without a specific diagnosis. Some have to cope with multiple disabilities.

We are a Special Needs Educational Day Care Centre for children aged 2-18 years old.

Our Centre provides for children with all types of disabilities ranging from severe to profound.

The children who come to the Centre are predominately from disadvantaged communities where there are no facilities available to them.

We have 5 classrooms

1

Developmental

2

Emerging preschool level

3

Emerging Grade R

4

Independent skills

5

Therapeutic

Education

Each child is regularly assessed by our specialists and receives an individual education plan with specific goals attached. Careful division of children is made into classes according to their age, needs and abilities. A goal can be anything from learning to use a spoon to being able to write one’s own name.

“We build each child’s self-esteem and confidence, so they believe in themselves.”

Nothini – Teacher Class 4

Therapy

Our qualified team of therapists focus on improving physical and intellectual limitations through daily therapeutic programmes and exercises that include fine motor, gross motor, cognitive and sensory stimulation activities.

We provide:

Occupational therapy
Speech therapy
Music Stimulation Programme

Care

Bizweni children are precious.

We work hard to ascertain the best way to care for each child and meet their needs through kindness, patience, gentleness, and experience.

Our children are aged 2-18 with disabilities ranging from moderate to severe.

“I want to make a difference in children’s lives”

Frances – Class 3 Assistant

Transport

One of the biggest obstacles for children with disabilities is access to ‘safe’ transport. For most of our children, our buses are the difference between getting the vital services they need or staying at home.

After the long lockdown in 2020, we observed many children had regressed physically, mentally and behaviourally.

Our three buses are equipped for a range of disabilities and drive to Gordons Bay, Strand, Lwandle, Nomzamo and Somerset West every day.

That’s 40,000 kms driven a year. Transport costs in 2020 came to R210,775.

Meals

Our specific meal plan makes sure our children receive the correct nutrition to grow and thrive.

This is also a key element for building up their immune systems.

That’s over 12,000 meals a year!

Outings

It is so important for our children to get out and experience life, and as
important for the world to embrace disability.

We ensure that regular trips to different environments are a big feature of the Centre’s timetable.

Each trip provides opportunities for our children to learn, grow and have fun.

Parent Testimonials

“My eldest son has been with Bizweni Centre since 2013 and in 2018 my youngest son joined them. I have had the best relationship with all their teachers since Day One and that is very important to me. I have no doubt that Bizweni Centre really loves and cares for my boys and they do their utmost for our kids.”

− Washiela – Bizweni Parent

Collaboration

Assist us with finding differently-abled job placements for children who have turned 18.

Through Shonaquip our children with Cerebral Palsy gain access to state-of-the-art equipment.