The Ian Foundation was established in honour of my child, Ian, who is autistic. This condition was not detected or even suspected in Ian’s early years. However, as he was hitting his developmental and cognitive milestones rather slowly, we were suspicious that something was abnormal. In a short while autism was confirmed. As first-time parents, we had no idea how to handle a child with such a condition. We inquired and hardly any community members knew how. Theirs was an approach of locking up a child if they presented with any disability. Years have since gone by – Ian has grown and is a teenager. He missed out on many opportunities as a result of our ignorance about managing his condition. Whereas we did not lock him up or keep him at the back of the house where he could not see anyone, we believe we could have done better accessing him the specialized care he needed, creating a nurturing environment for him to master some life-skills, providing specialized education, among others. This should not be the story for another child with special needs.

Whereas we may not be able to catch up nor compensate for what has been lost for Ian, I am committed to making life better for other children with autism and special needs, as well as their siblings and parents in the communities

It is a daunting task to care for and raise a child with special needs but it is their right too. Therefore, this foundation explores partnerships with agencies, individuals, and families that would like to help alleviate the plight of children with special needs and support them live a normal life, one that observes all their fundamental rights as human beings.