What happens when school ends for a young person with an intellectual disability? In Maun, the honest answer is: often, not much. There are very few places where these young adults can keep learning, build practical skills or find work that means something to them.
At Re Jala Peo, we believe everyone has something to give. Sometimes all it takes is the right place, a bit of patience and someone who believes in you.
That belief is where our project Growing Together began. It is a six-month pilot for 15 young adults aged 18 and above, including former learners from the Moremi Special Education (SPED) Unit. Our idea is a simple one: a place where you learn by doing, find out what you enjoy and slowly grow more independent.
Together we garden, grow vegetables with hydroponics, cook, bake, sew and make things with our hands. We are also curious whether we can grow and sell vegetables, baked goods and handmade products. But this is about more than skills. It is about working side by side, making choices, taking responsibility and, above all, feeling that you belong.
Coming together
On Saturday 17 October, we gathered at our Mosadi Thari Women Empowerment Centre. Parents, caregivers, our Re Jala Peo team and the women from our baking activities and Project Nina all sat down together to talk about inclusion and how we can better support people with intellectual disabilities.
It meant a lot to have so many different voices in one room, each with their own experience. We talked about seeing the person before the limitation, about understanding what each individual needs, and about giving people the chance to do things for themselves.
This is a big part of Growing Together for us. We cannot do it alone. Families and the wider community are part of it.
Small steps, real opportunities
Growing Together is still a pilot, and we expect to learn a lot along the way: what works, what the participants enjoy, and where meaningful work or a small income might grow.
Not everyone will learn at the same pace or love the same things, and that is fine. What matters is discovering what each person can do and building from there. Our hope is that this becomes a place where young adults can keep developing their skills, make friends, contribute to their community and feel proud of what they have achieved. Because everyone deserves to be part of something that matters.
With a big thank you to Marije & Divia for sharing their knowledge!
