The founder of Patrick Speech and Languages Centre, Dotun Akande (Vlisco Ambassador Nigeria 2015), is known for her powerful and optimistic leadership for autism awareness. After facing one of the biggest challenges of her life when her son was diagnosed with autism, she decided to turn it into something positive.

“It was the experience with my son that spurred on the opening of the centre.” Having a child with autism and no centre available in the country that catered or understood the needs of a child with autism, Mrs Akande set up the centre in 2006. The centre had a barrage of enquiries and with the knowledge gained from her training sessions in both the UK and the USA, she started therapy with the children and a huge success was recorded.

“The most important lesson I have learned is to love these children unconditionally and not to give up on them. They have great minds and this only emerges with unending love and patience.”