Having a child with disability in the family affects every family member, including the siblings. Very often these siblings have to take on huge responsibilities and take care of the child with disability, despite their own age. Due to that, they rarely get a chance to express themselves. This leads to different reactions e.g. feeling neglected, embarrassed, sad or stressed. They are often in the shadows since most of the parent’s attention goes to the child with disability. Furthermore, the siblings are often confronted with high expectations from the parents. Facing stigma in the school and community is sometimes another challenge the siblings have. Therefore, the Siblings Workshop give the siblings of children with disabilities a place to vent their feelings and help them cope with the family situation.
The workshops end with a performance for parents and members of the community creating awareness on the challenges siblings of children with disabilities face. This is often an eye opener for the parents to understand the needs and challenges of the siblings.