40 years: A milestone that reflects four decades of commitment to empowering persons with disabilities (PWD) and promoting special needs education and development.

Originally established as a daycare centre in Riambel, SHA has evolved into a Special Educational Needs School (SENS), dedicated to addressing the educational, vocational, and personal development needs of its students. Today, SHA stands as a beacon of inclusion, progress, and opportunity in the southern region of Mauritius.

To commemorate this significant occasion, SHA is reaffirming its dedication to the PWD community by embracing digital innovation, expanding access to education, and enhancing vocational training.

At a grand celebration, students took centre stage to showcase their artistic talents, expressing powerful themes of love, capability, compassion, and hope beyond disability.  The event featured a moving speech by Liseby Ricaud, President of SHA and parent of a student.  With deep emotion, she reflected on her son’s journey toward autonomy and proudly highlighted his participation in the 25th International Convention on Students’ Quality Circle, held in December 2024 in Lucknow, India.

One of the key highlights of the celebration was the inauguration of four new classrooms, purpose-built to accommodate an increasing number of students with disabilities aged 5 to 20 from across the southern region—responding to the growing demand for special needs education.

In a forward-looking move toward sustainability and efficiency, SHA has also introduced a new digital system for managing beneficiaries’ records and reports—eliminating paperwork and embracing a paperless approach. This marks a pioneering step in the local NGO sector. Accompanying this innovation is a revamped website (https://southernhandicapped.com/), offering the public better access to information about SHA’s services and activities.

A key milestone was the launch of the brand InclusiCraft, a program empowering Self-Advocates aged 20+. The workshop offers tools and training in craft-making, enabling participants to enhance their skills, gain work experience, and market their products—fostering creativity, independence, and economic inclusion for persons with disabilities.

As SHA celebrates its 40th year, the organisation remains firmly rooted in its founding values while looking confidently toward a future of continued innovation, inclusion, and empowerment.