The greatest reward when working with children is watching them succeed. Read more about our little angels who are learning to fly.

Siphokhazi (8)

Siphokhazi contracted TB Meningitis at age two and suffered brain damage as a result. She has been at Little Angels since December 2005 and has since mastered some basic vocabulary and mobility. Her overall balance has developed, and she will soon be able to sit unaided for more than a minute – a MAJOR achievement for someone with her lack of trunk control.

Towards the end of 2007, the Occupational Therapist treating Sipho felt that she was ready for academic advancement. After an assessment by the Western Cape Education Department, Sipho was given the go-ahead to attend Paarl School in Durbanville.

Aphiwe (11)

Aphiwe was born with Cerebral Palsy and joined Little Angels in December 2005. He has progressed from crawling on all fours to walking, mostly unaided, and he even runs at times. Aphiwe’s overall co-ordination and vocabulary has improved dramatically and he is now a weekly boarder at Paarl School, where he is coping very well with the academic syllabus he follows.

Jerome (17)

Jerome suffers from a brain injury called “West Syndrome”, which is more severe than Cerebral Palsy resulting in Jerome having a developmental age of a three-month old. He joined Little Angels in December 2005 and, after just 2 weeks of loving care and nourishment, managed to keep food down for the first time and now enjoys full meals and has started holding a cup to drink from. Jerome now laughs often, makes other noises of enjoyment and recently started to indicate when he is unhappy by squealing.

A major milestone which Jerome recently achieved is the ability, when lying on his stomach, to lift his torso by leaning on his elbows – something which was considered almost impossible for him when he first joined Little Angels.

Wynand (8)

Wynand sustained brain damage soon after birth and was left severely disabled. On his 4th birthday, after one month of treatment, Wynand smiled at his parents for the first time. In spite of being severely ill during the course of 2007, his physical awareness and interest in his surroundings continued to improve.

Over the past year Wynand has once again made progress in communication – he is even more alert, and is constantly making sounds – his way of communicating. He is also more receptive to touch, and tries to lift his head in order to see what is happening whenever we touch his feet and change his nappy. He has also begun demonstrating his self-will by pretending to cough whenever he is left lying down, as he knows that as soon as he coughs, a caregiver will sit him upright, allowing him to observe what is happening around him.

Simamkele (6)

Sima was born with Spina Bifida and Hydro Cephaly. She was abandoned in hospital after birth by both parents and eventually transferred to Little Angels on 1 December 2005. At the time she was hardly able to move and her physical, emotional and mental development was that of a 6-month old.

Since joining Little Angels Sima has developed astonishingly. Sima is now able to propel her wheelchair, but still needs to learn how to steer it properly. Sima has a brilliant little mind and needs to start attending school. Once again a departmental evaluation will be arranged, and then the search for a sponsor for school and boarding fees will have to start.

Lorenzo (8)

Lorenzo’s deafness was left untreated for the first six years of his life. After being placed at Little Angels, Lorenzo made great progress in his communication skills and began attending the Dominican School for the Deaf in August 2006. Although his progress is hampered due to his inability to concentrate for long periods as a result of suffering from Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, he has settled into the routine between boarding school and Little Angels well and his language, both written and signed, is improving all the time.

Lorenzo has been placed on chronic medication to improve his attention span, while at the same time addressing his sometimes aggressive behaviour. Since starting the medication in January 2009, his development at school has also improved.