Help Caleb hear the world before his first year of school

AT just five years old, little Caleb Alexander has already faced more than his fair share of life's challenges. Born with club feet and later recovering from painful facial burns as a toddler, this bright-eyed boy from Oudtshoorn is now getting ready for his first year of school but there's one more hurdle in his way.

- TRACY-LYNN RUITERS

Caleb has been living with hearing loss since birth, and it's only recently that his family has come to fully understand just how much it's shaped his early years.

Despite everything, Caleb's world is filled with colour, imagination, and endless creativity. Known for his cheeky grin and mischievous sense of humour, he spends his days sketching, building wild LEGO creations, and acting out brave firefighter adventures. He may not have many words yet, but there's no mistaking his joyful spirit.

"He's our little artist," said his aunt, Nina-Rose Clarke. "He colours beautifully, builds for hours, and has this way of expressing himself that's just so full of joy. You don't need words to feel his energy."

It was delays in Caleb's speech and social development that first raised concerns. Given the family's history of hearing difficulties, his parents arranged for all three of their boys to be tested. The results confirmed what they'd feared: Caleb had been struggling to hear since birth.