about
Paul and Humile Mashatile Foundation
About Us
Our Vision
A world in which neurodiversity is celebrated and in which all children who present with autistic conditions are supported, respected, empowered and are not discriminated against.
Our Purpose
We strive to protect children from discrimination and to ensure they are supported, respected, and empowered, regardless of their socio-economic background.
Our Mission
Our mission is to foster an inclusive society that recognises and supports the inherent value and unique gifts that autistic individuals bring.
Our Objectives as a Foundation are:
- Awareness and Education: Raise public and institutional awareness of autism and neurodiverse conditions, targeting schools, healthcare providers, communities, and businesses.
- Research and Data Collection: Enhance research on neurodiversity, focusing on the specific needs of autistic individuals in Southern Africa.
- Support and Services: Provide critical services to autistic individuals and their families, including diagnostic support, advocacy, and relevant resources.
- Inclusive Education: Advocate for the implementation of inclusive education policies and practices in South African schools.
- Employment and Economic Empowerment: Promote inclusive employment practices that provide autistic individuals with access to meaningful and sustainable job opportunities.
- Partnership and Collaboration: Foster partnerships with government, civil society, businesses, and academic institutions to amplify impact.
Our Programmes and Services
- Screening of autistic conditions from the ages of three to twelve years old.
- Providing medical evidence reports to support referral requests for diagnosed children, facilitating their placement in appropriate institutions.
- Providing educational workshops for educators and impacted families.
- Initiating support groups for affected parents.
- Enabling and participating in advocacy campaigns.
- Engaging with employers to advocate for the employment and inclusion of individuals with neurodiverse conditions.
- Additional support services include school shoe drives, food parcel distributions, sanitary product drives, and other social impact initiatives.
Partnerships and Collaborations
We aim to contribute to the pressing need for research and engagement with practitioners and communities in order to build deep knowledge around neurodiversity in Southern Africa.
Research and consultation should focus on identifying specific challenges and barriers faced by people that present with neurodiverse conditions. This will help to enhance policy, innovation and highlight good practices that empower individuals and raise societal awareness.
Clear and impactful actions need to be included in “Autism Innovation Strategies” in order to respond to identified challenges, and complement ongoing actions under existing national strategies.