Children, along with their primary caregivers, are invited to attend the two-week programme at the Malamulele Onward Therapy and Training Centre in Johannesburg. They are accommodated in a house on the property and the children receive ten days of residential therapy from our therapy team.

The programme focusses on carrying out the activities of daily life in a therapeutic manner, thus extending therapy from an activity that takes place once a month, to an everyday way of life, without additional demands placed on a caregiver. Carers are educated on the basics of CP by attending five Carer-2-Carer workshops. The programme then supplements these themes by practically reinforcing what was learned each day. The children receive hands-on therapy from our therapy team, with each child receiving a photo-based home programme to remind them of what took place during the week.

The programme accommodates five children simultaneously, who are all drawn from the same site. If the site has any trained parent facilitators, their children are included in the programme in order for them to further develop their skills as facilitators. The local therapists from the relevant sites are then invited to attend the second week of the programme where they have the opportunity to gain more experience by treating children under the guidance of our therapy team.

The programme consolidates our impact in a number of ways:

For the child: The children who attend the programme become more comfortable with therapy; move more easily; become more independent; and are enabled to play and be understood.

For the mother/caregiver: The mothers/caregivers who attend feel nurtured, supported and empowered; feel competent as a parents/caregivers; feel informed and ready to help, support and teach other mothers in their community; understand their own children really well; and move from a place of hopelessness to a place where they love their children and feel proud as parents/caregivers.

For the parent facilitators: The parent facilitators have the opportunity to practice running their workshops in a supervised environment; their knowledge and practical skills are further developed; they come to understand their own children better; and they develop a strong bond with other parents/caregivers, becoming a resource for their local service.

For the local therapists and local service: The therapists gain more experience in treating children with CP; are exposed to new treatment ideas; develop the ability to apply their skills creatively and effectively; and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the role a parent/caregiver plays in the achievement of treatment outcomes.

Ultimately the children and caregivers who attend our Johannesburg-based programme are our gateway to reaching a greater network of children, in a ripple effect. Children and caregivers are selected to come to Johannesburg according to the potential they show in their ability to pass on skills to other parents. Through the understanding, knowledge and practical skills they develop during the programme, these caregivers become a valuable resource to their local CP service and are able to pass on their knowledge and skills to caregivers with similar children.