The Autistic Day Care Centre in Dar-Es-Salaam (Tanzania) received a fully air-conditioned and automatic 23 seat Coaster Minibus.

The Centre was established on 19^th February 2006, the first of it's kind in the whole of East Africa. It's mandate is to support children with disabilities such as Autism, Down’s syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other learning and developmental disabilities, by providing a daily program that combines therapy and academic education.

There was a great need for a Minibus, as the children were struggling to get to the Centre. The Minibus will also ease the problem of taking the children for swimming classes and field trips.

Amongst the centre's goals are to increase child autonomy, create awareness about disabilities, and break the barriers of discrimination and stigma against children with developmental, intellectual and physical disabilities. Furthermore, it provides children with the right to academic education, social involvement and skill development that is necessary to integrate into the larger realm of society.

Currently, there are 25 children who are benefitting from the state of the art services provided. Upon arrival to the centre, the children are given a complete occupational therapy (OT) assessment that looks at their strengths, physical and cognitive deficits, behaviour, academic skills, and developmental stage. The Centre adopts a holistic, family-centered approach, including the family’s discretion in all decision making matters that involve the child.  After the initial assessment is complete, the child and family determine the child’s goals with assistance from the staff, who then works towards achieving those goals.

This individualized therapy allows the child to progress at his or her own rate.  The progress of the child is assessed routinely, where the teachers assess the children on a monthly basis, and the OT performs a routine evaluation every three months.