Jail4Bail – Most people live in jails without bars. The jails of their own minds. And sadly they are their own wardens.

The 2nd April 2009 marks World Autism Awareness Day, an unprecedented global effort to heighten awareness about a disorder affecting about 67 Million families globally.  Whilst we celebrate the rights and acknowledge people with Autism today, Governments support for people with Autism is extremely disappointing. International leaders have shown the public commitment to change the world of Autism, however in South Africa, Government continues to discriminate against  the rights for people with Autism.

More children will be diagnosed with Autism this year than with Diabetes, Cancer and AIDS combined. our aim is to create meaningful awareness and raise the necessary funding to provide services to children and adults with Autism that so desperately require our help and support.

So where did it start?

Are we missing the point of World Autism Day? Big hype with no action means nothing.

The South African Government up to date has not acknowledged WAAD in any way. Individual private organisations for profit jump at the opportunity to claim that they recover, even state that they cure Autism. These organisations usually target families of  newly diagnosed, vulnerable families making false promises of recovery to improve their bottom line.

Please understand with appropriate intervention in a multi-disciplinary team dynamic, consisting of a toolbox of acknowledged  therapies and interventions, most children’s developmental ability will improve significantly,however there is no cure for Autism.

It leaves me with the burning question?  How to participate in World Autism Awareness Day 2 April 2009? What would you do to make a meaningful difference?

I am committed to make a difference to Autism in South Africa and will do whatever it takes to achieve this. Today we launch our next project “Putting Autism on Top” – Climbing Kilimanjaro to raise meaningful awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Mount Kilimanjaro (Uhuru Peak – the highest point in Africa (5895m)

Please follow our progress and support our group of 10 volunteers, under the tour leader Sean Wisedale as we start the build-up and  step-by-step to achieve our objective to “Putting AUTISM on TOP” .

Follow us on Twitter, Zoopy, Autism Western Cape, My blog, Facebook,

AUTISM – A PART OF OUR WORLD, NOT A WORLD APART.