The Beginning

The Inam Autism Advocacy Group was founded by Vezi and Khulani Silwanyana, Verna Hlabangana and Andy Gobingca. Vezi and Khulani are parents to Inam who was diagnosed with autism at 18 months.

Their journey and discovery inspired a vision to contribute towards treatment and understanding of autism in the South African.

 

The Advocacy Group

The Inam Autism Advocacy Group is a non-profit company.

The organization was established to advocate for people with autism with a focus on children and young people. Our main goal is to bring awareness to the existence of this developmental condition in previously disadvantaged and rural communities.

 

 What is Autism?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental condition, signs typically appear during early childhood and affect a person's behaviour and ability to communicate with others. It affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause of autism but increased awareness and early  diagnosis/intervention and access to appropriate services/support can lead to significantly improved outcomes.

 

Research

We are of the view that South Africa is behind in the advancement of treatment for autism. As a result we are passionate about contributing to autism research in the South African context so as to enable better solutions. It is our view that through research, government and medical organizations can provide a better platform for this condition to be treated or managed.