Armandt's Journey

My son Armandt who is 23 years of age is mentally disabled, has low muscle tone throughout his body, is on the Autism spectrum, and has been deaf in both ears since the age of 18 months. He has been ostracized for most of his young life because he was different. It was a struggle for many years to get him placed at an institution where he would fit in, come into his own, and just have a sense of belonging. I finally found this place during the first months of 2022, but it meant that I had to give up my permanent employment contract and sign a new employment contract as a contract worker as we had to move house to be closer to the institution called House Horison in Stellenbosch. The short-term plan is to get him introduced to and integrated with a community where he would feel accepted and loved for who he is and what he could offer. He just loves being there on the day worker program. He longs to live there permanently as a resident and I know he will be safe and happy if something should happen to me, but have to buy the room he would reside in. He is now happy, content and thri...