The following post was submitted by POA Online Volunteer Bettina De-Carli.

The Annual City Parks Christmas Party for disabled children was organized this past November at the Nkanyezi Stimulation Centre in Soweto. Johannesburg City Parks and the company Cell C have been organizing this event for the past six years. The party was organized in advance in order to be celebrated together with the International Day of Disabled Persons (promoted by the United Nations since 1992). Many children and relatives enjoyed a day of fun with good food, music and entertainment for everybody.

The location for the event was specifically chosen. In fact, earlier this year, City Parks together with Standard Bank made a donation to the Nkanyezi Stimulation Centre to help reforming it. The creation of the First Park for disabled children was the main part of the project. A part of land surrounding the centre was transformed into a playground fitted with play equipment such as wheelchair-friendly swings, wheelchair maze, sprawling green lawn and paved walkways, the first one of its kind created in Johannesburg.

The Nkanyezi Stimulation Centre, where the park is located, was founded by Prisca Tshabalala in 1989. After the death of her son diagnosed with cerebral palsy, she opened this centre in his memory to help taking care of disabled children. Speaking about the recent opening of the park she states: "This is a very important day in the history of our centre. Over the years we have struggled to ensure our children, who suffer from cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities, have adequate facilities that meet their needs."  The Park is also open to everybody with disabilities in the area, it is a good way to give a better life to children that are usually marginalised and also for developing a better understanding of disabled people needs.