The services of a Pinetown-based school and therapy centre for children and young adults with
special educational needs, and with additional facilities in New Germany and Pietermaritzburg, have
been severely disrupted since the loss of its only vehicle in the floods of April 2022.
However, thanks to assistance lent by the South African Muslim Charitable Trust (SAMCT) recently,
disruptions to its daily programmes are finally a thing of the past. The organisation has funded the
R688 000 purchase of a brand-new vehicle for the Friends of Triad.
Friends of Triad, established in 2002, is a vital organisation, providing holistic early intervention,
programmes, academic grades, junior vocational classes, skills development, parent support and
training.
Discussing the vehicle donation, SAMCT representative, Mr Gaff Osman, said: “This is an organisation
which always puts those in its charge first – often at the staff’s own expense. Given its special needs
function and the spread of its operations, a vehicle clearly forms an essential part of its activities.
Sadly, as with many other organisations of this kind, Friends of Triad has been unable to meet such a
massive capital expense, while struggling to meet its monthly financial challenges, thus leaving the
organisation without a vehicle for many trying months.”
Having an operational vehicle enables the Friends of Triad to nurture the integration of its children
into their families and communities, take them on excursions, to enhance the learning process, and
to special sporting events, as well as to a development centre. In addition, a need exists to transport
children to and from school and to medical appointments.
“Left with no vehicle after the devastating floods of last year, the organisation was unable to
transport children in its care to important educational activities or to atend medical appointments,
causing much disruption to learners’ daily routines as regards their special needs at a time when they
require as much routine and stability as possible.”
Learning of the organisation’s transport predicament and the effect it was having on those in its care,
the SAMCT was pleased to be in a position to offer assistance in the form of a new vehicle,” said Mr
Osman.
He said that the Friends of Triad had evolved to meet the ever-changing and growing needs of young
people with special needs. Given the success of its early intervention programmes, a need developed
to provide academic classes, in the face of a lack of facilities for children with autism, who showed
academic potential. It went on to establish vocational skills classes for children who did not receive
any form of early intervention and further established a residential centre, respite care centre and a
successful behaviour programme, for children with severe behavioural problems and who are often
turned away from other facilities.
“This is an organisation geared to creating new programmes as needs arise, so as to beter meet the
requirements of children with special needs. Friends of Triad is doing incredible work and the SAMCT
is privileged to have played a part in ensuring effective transport for the organisation,” Mr Osman
stressed.
The SAMCT was created in 2008, the result of a partnership between Old Mutual Unit Trusts and Al
Baraka Bank, for the creation, marketing and distribution of a suite of Shariah Funds. The
organisation provides funding, services and other resources for the improvement of the lives of the
vulnerable, deprived and disadvantaged. It has been singularly successful in delivering sizeable
assistance solutions throughout South Africa – irrespective of race or religion – and continues to work
to support needy organisations in the fields of healthcare, social development, poverty alleviation
and education.
“We trust that our provision of a new vehicle for this most worthy organisation will make a huge
difference in the quality of life of the children at the Friends of Triad Schools,” Mr Osman concluded.