A VW minivan has been donated to Noluthando, a school and Sheltered Employment Trust for the Deaf & Autistic in Khayelitsha, in honour of Wendy Ackerman, who has passionately helped develop and grow the non-profit organisation through compassion, dedication and funding since 2014.
Pick n Pay founder Raymond Ackerman donated the vehicle to Noluthando to celebrate his wife Wendy Ackerman’s recent birthday.
From left – Arthur Cowley, Andrea Van Wyk, Raymond & Wendy Ackerman, Ayanda Ncinane
Noluthando School for the Deaf owns a bus which is used to transport learners from the greater community to and from school. However, with rising petrol costs, it is becoming increasingly uneconomical to use the bus.
“Some children live very far away from the school, such as Kuilsriver, and it is too expensive to use the big bus for just a few children due to the petrol costs. The principal expressed the need for a smaller car to fetch these children,” says Wendy Ackerman.
The new car will also provide transport for day-to-day tasks, which wasn’t possible – or becoming increasingly expensive – with the bus. The car will be shared with the Noluthando Sheltered Employment Trust, which has had to limit its outings due to transport costs.
Speaking on the gesture, Wendy says it was the perfect gift. “I don’t want any birthday gifts or recognition so I was very happy when Raymond gave me this news. And so was Noluthando, they are absolutely ecstatic.”
Raymond and Wendy Ackerman attended a handover of the minivan today at the school with the principal of Noluthando School, Ayanda Ncinane and Arthur Cowley, CEO: Noluthando Sheltered Employment Trust.
Ncinane says that the donation of the car will save the school money. “We were spending too much money on fuel, one month we spent R104 000 on fuel. We will now no longer use the big bus to take small groups of learners to workshops, the clinic, sporting activities or therapy sessions. We will use the 8-seater donated transport, saving us a lot of fuel. We really appreciate everything Wendy Ackerman is doing for us,” says Ncinane.
Noluthando School was originally founded to provide tuition to learners with hearing impairments. It was soon realised that while technical developments enabled many learners to hear, the school would need specialised classroom facilities and tuition for children with autism.
In 2014, Wendy Ackerman and Rotary Club of Newlands collaborated to expand the school classrooms for autistic leaners to support the increased demand for enrolment at this specialised institution. Since then, nineteen classrooms have been built or refurbished at the campus, including the construction of a new Treatment Assessment Centre. This was achieved through contributions from Ackerman Family Educational Trust, Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages and other corporates, foundations and individuals.
Wanting to do more for the students, Wendy initiated setting up a job creation centre – Noluthando Sheltered Employment Trust – adjacent to the school. Within six months, this became a reality, and it officially opened on 28 October 2021. This allows those who have come through the school, as well as those with a disability from the greater Khayelitsha community, to access job opportunities in diverse fields.
When asked what motivated her involvement with Noluthando, Wendy Ackerman says it was her longstanding domestic worker whose grandson has autism. “He had nowhere to go and couldn’t get into a school. My sister was disabled, and her life changed when she went to a sheltered employment facility.
“Because of this facility she lived a very happy and fulfilled life. They would make stuff to sell and become self-sustaining. I wanted this for the many learners who need the opportunity to achieve their potential for work and employment,” says Wendy Ackerman.
The Noluthando Sheltered Employment Trust programme consists of gardening, cooking and baking, sewing, woodwork, jewellery making, candle making, soap making and life skills.
Andrea Van Wyk, Operations Manager at Noluthando Sheltered Employment Trust, says they were very excited to learn that a vehicle was being donated for their use. “In 2022, our beneficiaries were able to visit established organisations, interact with their peers, visit new places and have new experiences. It has been so important for their development.
“There aren’t many transport companies willing to enter Khayelitsha, and those who do, are very expensive. We’ve had to be extremely selective when deciding on excursions. We would like to thank Mr and Mrs Ackerman. This vehicle opens new doors of opportunity for our beneficiaries, and will be a catalyst for their development,” says Van Wyk.
The Noluthando Sheltered Employment Trust currently has 11 beneficiaries who have settled into the facility and are thriving. The facility hopes to take on more learners in the near future with the support of government through the placement of an Occupational Therapist at the Protective Workshop.
