The Shumeez Scott Foundation in Mitchells Plain ended Down Syndrome Awareness Month in style with a surf day at Muizenberg Beach.
The foundation which aims to help people with disabilities held the event on Sunday to show that people living with Down Syndrome are capable of doing anything and everything if given the opportunity.
Founder Bahia Janodien says Down Syndrome Awareness Month is not recognised as much as other disabilities.
“For this reason, we as the Shumeez Scott Foundation are always ready to go out to society to educate our able-bodied people about Down Syndrome, what their abilities are and how they can have an impact in your life and more importantly in society,” she explained.
“They are affectionate people who have much to offer but yet so few are willing to give them the opportunity.”
Bahia, whose daughter Shumeez has Down Syndrome, says the surf day was sponsored by various roleplayers who aimed to give Down’s kids “lekker tyd by die see”.
The young adults changed into their swimsuits, were given a quick lesson by the volunteers before they took on the waves on surfboards.
“I’m extremely proud of them for the courage that they have, especially the new students, as it was their first time and you could see the fear in their eyes,” Bahia said.
Shumeez told the Daily Voice: “I am proud of everyone as it was windy and I thought we wouldn’t want to go in but we did it and. I managed to stand on the surfboard.”
Yani Trout, owner of Nexgen Surf School, added: “This year was a very special one for us, it was also our fourth year between Nexgen Surf and the Shumeez Scott Foundation.”
Byron.lukas@inl.co.za