Orion Organisation - Atlantis, Cape Town
A place in the sun, where the disabled are enabled.
Founded in March 1982, the Orion Organisation is a duly constituted Non Profit Organisation and section 21 company with PBO status, based in the town of Atlantis, approximately 50km from the city of Cape Town.
It is difficult to give exact statistics of South Africa, but we are led to believe that 1 in 4 people is born with some form of disability, although statistics worldwide indicate that 10% of the population is born with some defect or disability (View Worldwide Disability Report). However, with the correct care and training even the most disabled person can gain some degree of independence. Indeed, with the specialised care that these individuals need, they will not only have a more secure future, many of them will actually be able to provide for themselves and their families. At present most state institutions are overflowing and will only accept children or adults for short-term relief and they generally do not focus on rehabilitation or personal development.
Dedicated to caring and providing for the educational, training and therapeutic needs of children, youth and adults with physical, intellectual and/or mental disabilities, Orion proves a model of promise and hope to many.
Orion’s ultimate aim is to provide a dynamic, emotionally secure and containing community around children and adults in need of special care.
Although Orion is partially subsidised by the Department of Social Development, and has initiated various income generating projects to supplement the income, it still has a long way to go before self-sustainability status will be reached. Therefore the assistance of donors is of crucial importance to keep the doors open of this very viable and much-needed community project.
