The Deovolente Trust is hosting a golf day on 19 August at Pecanwood Golf Estate to raise funds for a residential care centre for the mentally disabled.

“Our aim is to buy a property and establish a safe forever home for mentally disabled older children,” says Ilze van Coller.

In 2008, Kuierkidz Learning Centre was started by a group of concerned parents of mentally disabled children. Kuierkidz Learning Centre empowers children living with severe mental disabilities, to reach their utmost capabilities and be accepted into society in whatever way possible so that they too can live a meaningful life. The initial three children rapidly grew to 25 and as the children grew older, the need has arisen for bigger premises and residences for older residents.
Ilze’s own mentally disabled son attended the Kuierkidz Learning Centre and when he turned 18, the family decided to look for a residential care facility for him.

“He was ageing but so were we… If we should die, who would take care of him? Well, every single place we visited would not take him due to behavioural problems. The places that would take him were in such a ghastly condition that it was soul-wrenching. An Occupational Therapist told us that he would and could only be permanently placed in a State Hospital. It felt like my child was given a death sentence,” she says. “Then I thought of the other kids in Kuierkidz Learning Centre, and I realised that the majority of them and their parents were destined for this same journey, this same pain. There was just one solution – we, the parents, will have to do this ourselves: We must build them their own safe haven, and the Deovolente Trust was established. The aim is to raise enough funds to enable us to buy a property that will become their forever home, from early intervention until they pass away.”

Deovolente asks for the community’s support with the golf day. Registration is at 09:00 with a shotgun start at 11:00.
Prices are R2480 – R5 000 per 4 ball.

Contact Ilze on 079 886 9347 for more information. Visit www.deovolentesa.co.za.