Lubhalwe nguMpheni Tshivhase
UMonica Simka, ohlala kwi-informal settlement yaseMoria Park eLenasia South, ukhulisa amawele uHlelo noThando, kanye nendodana yakhe.
UHlelo watholakala enenkinga ye-autism ne-ADHD eseyingane encane.
Umama wakhe usalinde ukuhlolwa okuzokwenza ukuthi ahanjiswe kwenye indawo efanele.
Usuku lukaMonica Simka, umama ozinikele ohlala endaweni yaseMoria Park eLenasia South, luqala ngo-5 ekuseni ukhulisa amawele aneminyaka eyisikhombisa, uHlelo noThando, kanye nendodana yakhe.
UMonica wabona ukuthi kukhona okuhlukile ngoHlelo ngesikhathi esenezinyanga ezinhlanu kuphela ezelwe.
“Wayengazithandi izinto ezinomsindo omkhulu, encamela ukuba yedwa futhi ethakasela imibala,” kusho yena ekhumbula.
Kamuva uHlelo watholakala enenkinga ye-autism ne-ADHD. Ngenxa yokuzimisela ukuqonda indodakazi yakhe, uMonica wachitha amahora amaningi efunda kabanzi nge-autism futhi ejoyina amaqembu okweseka.
“Ulwazi lukhulu. Lapho ngifunda kabanzi, ngakwazi ukuyisekela kangcono ingane yami.”
Womabili amantombazane aya esikoleni iZakariyya Park Combined School, kodwa ngenkathi uThando esedlulele kaGrade-2, uHlelo uphinda uGrade-1.
“Uhlakaniphe kakhulu,” kusho uMonica. “Udinga nje othisha abaqeqeshelwe ukuqonda izingane ezine-autism.”
UMonica uthi isikole asikakwazi ukuthola uhlelo lokuhlola oluzovumela ukuthi uHlelo afakwe esikoleni esikhethekile esifanele izidingo zakhe, okumenza azizwe edangele futhi ekhungathekile.
“Ngizizwa sengathi ngiyahluleka ukunakekela ingane yami ngendlela efanele.”
Izikole zikahulumeni zezidingo ezikhethekile eGauteng zaziwa ngokuba nohlu olude lwabantu abalindile ngezinye izikhathi oluthatha iminyaka emibili ikakhulukazi ngenxa yokunqwabelana kwemisebenzi yokuhlola izingane ezifana noHlelo ukuze zibekwe ezikoleni ezifanele. Akuyena yedwa uMonica okulesi simo sokulinda, kodwa kuye, kuyindaba ephathelene nekusasa lendodakazi yakhe.
Ukuhlala kulendawo kuletha izinselele ezengeziwe.
UHlelo udinga ukuqashwa njalo ngenxa yelukuluku lakhe lokufuna ukwazi izinto, ubunzima bokubhekana nomsindo omkhulu nezindawo ezinabantu abaningi, futhi uncike kakhulu ohlelweni olujwayelekile lwansuku zonke. Kwaze kwadingeka kushintshwe ngisho imoto yakhe yokuya esikoleni ngoba umsindo omkhulu womculo wawumphazamisa kakhulu.
UMonica uthi i-autism isaqondakala kabi emiphakathini eminingi.
“Abantu bathi unenkani, udinga ukulungiswa ukuziphatha noma bathi wukuthakatha. Kimina i-autism akuyona ukukhubazeka kuyindlela ehlukile yokusebenza komzimba nengqondo. Lezi zingane zihlakaniphile zibona izinto ngendlela ehlukile nje.”
Naphezu kokuhlala nesimo senhliziyo esibucayi, uMonica uyaqhubeka nokulwela indodakazi yakhe.
Ubaba kaHlelo, osebenza njengomsebenzi wokugcwalisa uphethiloli, uyaqhubeka nokuzibandakanya empilweni yendodakazi yakhe futhi uyayiphelezela uma iya emihlanganweni yezokwelashwa eSibhedlela iChris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. UMonica uphinde athole amandla kwindodana yakhe efunda uGrade-10, eyazifundisa yona ngesimo se-autism ukuze ikwazi ukusiza ekunakekeleni udadewabo omncane.
Naphezu kwakho konke lokhu, uMonica uhlala enethemba.
“UHlelo uyakuthanda ukwenza izinwele zabantu futhi uphupha ngokuba ne-salon yakhe enemibala ensomi ngelinye ilanga.”
Emndenini wakwaSimka, lelo phupho liyisikhumbuzo sokuthi ngokuba nokuqonda, ukwesekwa kanye nokwamukelwa, ingane ngayinye ingaphumelela futhi ichume.
Esithombeni esingenhla: UMonica Simka kanye namawele akhe, uHlelo noThando, manje asebeneminyaka eyisikhombisa ubudala.
Umthombo wesithombe: Sithunyelwe