Dimitri

Dimitri’s demeanour and presence light up all of Sunshine.

He is the sweetest and most loving young boy. Dimitri was born with spina bifida and uses crutches for mobility. He is extremely intelligent and he attends our school readiness (Grade R) Dolphins class.

He needs to go to a mainstream school, but because of his physical disability and lack of resources and support for someone in his position, most schools cannot (or will not) accommodate him.

We are forging ahead to prepare him for mainstream school and advocating for his inclusion in a typical classroom because he is more than able and willing to succeed. His physical disability should not be used to marginalise and disadvantage him.

Nangula

Nangula is a super dancer. Her dance moves are always a hit at our monthly school assemblies.

Music and sport classes are her favourite. She adores her Teacher, Juffrou Nono, and she also loves playing “mommy” with her baby doll. Nangula is attentive, caring and has a wonderfully calm temperament.

She would make a really good caregiver one day. She is non-verbal, but she expresses herself in alternative means of communication.

Poppy

Poppy is an athlete of note, a national and international one for that matter.

She has represented Namibia at the Special Olympics in Greece a few years ago and brought home a gold medal for the 100m sprint! She is set to compete at the Special Olympics in the USA again in 2023.

Poppy has been with Sunshine for about 10 years, starting as a young girl in one of our special needs classes. She is now in a vocational programme at the centre and she particularly enjoys the Life Skills classes, which seeks to prepare our young people to live as independently and responsibly as possible. Poppy also loves being a member of the Sunshine Choir.

kwame

loves music, bright colours and human interaction.

She has the brightest of smiles and is a keen observer of her surroundings. She has cerebral palsy and is non-verbal. Kwame is highly spastic and benefits from daily physical and occupational therapy by her caregivers in the Unicorn Class.

She recently took to the stage at the Sunshine Spring Concert, where she and her Teacher performed a dance in her wheelchair to the tune of “Rise Up” by Andra Day. Needless to say, many in the audience were deeply touched and her Mom, Meme Rosalia, beamed with pride.

Simon

lives with a “can-do”, humorous and #ThisAbility attitude. He embodies what Sunshine is about – a place of possibility, of hope, of growth and strength.

He started at Sunshine as a shy young boy many years ago. The mainstream school system could not accommodate him anymore and his future prospects seem bleak, but at Sunshine he has grown remarkably to become a skilful carpenter and now supervisor in our woodwork training programme.

Simon is a paid member of staff and he now take hands with other young men to help them learn marketable skills that prepare them for the job market and life beyond Sunshine.