APD Bethseda Hout Bay, Association for Persons with Disabilities has its origins in local volunteer work: in the early 1990’s a group of volunteer community care workers were informed by medical staff that a number of persons with disabilities were not coming to the clinic on time to get their treatment and medication. The volunteers discovered that many of the persons with disabilities were left alone at home with no assistance and sometimes without food.
To better aid these people, the volunteers formed a club, each member taking turns to fetch the disabled persons, bring them to the clinic and take them back home. Later the clinic provided a room, so the clients could enjoy a meal prepared by the volunteers from donated food.
This group soon grew in numbers and the Anglican Church offered extra space in the town. The clients started learning crafts, which they sold to the local community. And so BETHESDA was born! Bethesda became a registered branch of the Western Cape APD in 2007. Today, Bethesda provides care and support to 20 – 30 adults with either physical or intellectual disabilities. These clients attend the protective workshop regularly.
We sell the dolls they produce here at Original Tea Bag Designs!
