South African Boy with Downs Syndrome Triumphs Over Prejudice
Sihle Batyia, at the Ikhaya Loxolo home in Hobeni in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province (VOA/Taylor)
Community elder and a caregiver at the home, Mama ka Blondie, often has the responsibility of supervising Sihle (VOA. D Taylor)
Sihle with his favorite toy – a battery operated toy space gun (VOA/ D. Taylor)
Sihle fires his favorite toy constantly – much to the irritation of his fellow patients. (VOA/ D. Taylor)
Sihle takes his parents, Jam-Jam [left] and Beauty, on a tour of the farm on which he works (VOA/ D. Taylor)
Sihle is justifiably proud of his agricultural achievements (VOA/ D. Taylor)
Sihle is justifiably proud of his agricultural achievements (VOA/ D. Taylor)
Sihle says he “loves” being at Ikhaya Loxolo and never wants to leave the home (VOA/ D. Taylor)
A caregiver helps Sihle to write during a morning school lesson at Ikhaya Loxolo (VOA/ D. Taylor)
For the first time in his life, Sihle feels he has “real friends” at the home (VOA/ D. Taylor)
For the first time in his life, Sihle feels he has “real friends” at the home (VOA/ D. Taylor)
Sihle pages through a coloring-in book (VOA/ D. Taylor)
Sihle is very fond of helping to feed the home’s animals (VOA/ D. Taylor)
Sihle plays a card game with other residents and as usual, he’s full of jokes (VOA/ D. Taylor)