Mark is a joyful man who loves to sing. He works on a farm in the Netherlands. Since leaving school at 12, life has not been easy. With classic autism and an IQ of 33, reading, writing and social interactions are challenging. Yet Mark has talents. By focusing on what he can do, he has grown remarkably and now feels valued and appreciated every day.
Mark lived four years in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where his parents worked in development. Life there offered him space, structure and caring people. But adapted facilities were almost absent. In much of Sub-Saharan Africa, people with autism or disabilities face the same reality: few resources, little knowledge, and constant confrontation with their limitations instead of their strengths.