Author aims to help autistic children gain acceptance with books

AUTISM activist and author Camille Daligand, 28, has pledged to contribute a percentage of her three books published in the UK earlier this year to autistic children from disadvantaged communities in Cape Town.

Daligand has a degree in child psychology and a postgraduate degree in applied psychology is using her skills to help children in dire need.

With a desire to spread awareness and educate children, she wrote the Treasure King, The Spotted Meerkat and The Velocir-rapper and these were all released in February in the UK and have moral messages about kindness, honesty and anti-bullying. They were well received in a number of countries. The books are now also available for purchase in South Africa and for every book sold Daligand decided a percentage will go towards helping autistic children. The campaign is in conjunction with the special needs school KidStart Junior Academy in Parow North.

“I realised there are not enough funds allocated for autism and many families from disadvantaged backgrounds have autistic children who cannot afford therapy and other necessary resources.

“The lack of support is heartbreaking,” Daligand said.

She realised her love for children at the age of 21 when she was volunteering at a suicide helpline in Joburg as well as children’s home for cancer.

“This is when I realised I really wanted to work with children and use my degree to help them, that is why I chose to do my honours. I have been working with autistic children for the last two years and I feel this is my calling. People can be very unaccepting of others especially if they are different and I think that is why acceptance is so important and maybe where we need to start. I hope to one day use the books as not only a way to spread these messages but also as a medium for educating all children including autistic children,” Daligand said.