By Neo Kolane
Relationships Inspiring Social Enterprise has partnered with Intellectual Disability of Lesotho (IDAL) as well as Standard Lesotho Bank to design and build the country’s first ever centre for intellectual disabilities and autism.
This was also done to commemorate world Autism Awareness Day which is an internationally recognized day on April 2 every year.
The founder of IDAL Palesa Mphohle says when IDAL started in 1992, it had a vision of having a centre that could provide early intervention services.
Mphohle said after a diagnosis of a child’s disability, a parent needs a facility where they can receive assistance and advice on how to stimulate the child to keep track of his/her milestones.
The public relations officer of IDAL, Makhetha Moshabesha, says they want the centre to become a place where they can also raise awareness to the broader audience of the country on the condition of autism and intellectual disability.
“This centre will also provide us with an opportunity to not only raise awareness at the grassroots and community levels, but also with the government.”