"As Water is, is Life. Canada has Brought Life to This School"
Submitted by Carolyn Francis
GCI Project Coordinator
March 21, 2006
"As water is, is life. Canada has brought life to this school." This comment was made by Sister Judith Felicity, St. Lucy’s School for the Blind, Kuiri, Igogi District, on our arrival to visit the school.
The construction of a reliable water source (by means of water tanks and piping) has brought "life" to St. Lucy’s School for the Blind. We were welcomed with great enthusiasm saying that they considered our visit a way in which they could pay Canadians back for what they had given to the school.
The impact of having an easily accessible and safe water supply was obvious at every turn in this school of 220. "Children can now sing and dance and are healthy", commented Sister Felicity. The visually impaired students no longer have to carry basins or cans of water from the river. As a result the students do not fall and injure themselves or break their water cans. Academic performance has improved as there is no more wasting of class time carrying water. Teachers are more comfortable; they can keep the facilities, beds and children’s clothes clean. Lunch is ready on time. They are very proud of their school as it sparkles with cleanliness and bright colours. The school can now grow vegetables in every season to supplement their food supply. Sickness, such as intestinal parasites and diarrhea, has been drastically reduced.
While the primary criteria for acceptance as a student at St. Lucy’s is visual impairment, many of the students have multiple disabilities. A considerable number are albino, and thus at high risk in such a hot climate. Sister Felicity indicated that many who are albino die from cancer. Ninety are AIDS orphans and others have lost one parent. Children come from all over Kenya to attend St.Lucy’s. For many this is the only home they know. The choir director and several other staff were former students at St. Lucy’s.
While at St’ Lucy’s we were treated to a special performance by the student choir – a "Welcome to St. Lucy’s" and a selection from Handel’s Messiah. In addition, we were treated to a Scouts drill and a dance performance. In each of these activities, students from this school do very well competing against students from sighted schools. It was hard to keep the tears at bay when witnessing this performance.
In past times Kenyans often viewed their disabled children with shame but that belief is rapidly changing towards a ‘view that they are God’s children and it is our responsibility to help and assist them’. This change in attitude was obvious in every school we visited, not only at St.Lucy’s. Special funds are being released to build classrooms for special needs students in every school that has such a class.
GCI Project Coordinator
March 21, 2006
"As water is, is life. Canada has brought life to this school." This comment was made by Sister Judith Felicity, St. Lucy’s School for the Blind, Kuiri, Igogi District, on our arrival to visit the school.The construction of a reliable water source (by means of water tanks and piping) has brought "life" to St. Lucy’s School for the Blind. We were welcomed with great enthusiasm saying that they considered our visit a way in which they could pay Canadians back for what they had given to the school.
The impact of having an easily accessible and safe water supply was obvious at every turn in this school of 220. "Children can now sing and dance and are healthy", commented Sister Felicity. The visually impaired students no longer have to carry basins or cans of water from the river. As a result the students do not fall and injure themselves or break their water cans. Academic performance has improved as there is no more wasting of class time carrying water. Teachers are more comfortable; they can keep the facilities, beds and children’s clothes clean. Lunch is ready on time. They are very proud of their school as it sparkles with cleanliness and bright colours. The school can now grow vegetables in every season to supplement their food supply. Sickness, such as intestinal parasites and diarrhea, has been drastically reduced.
While the primary criteria for acceptance as a student at St. Lucy’s is visual impairment, many of the students have multiple disabilities. A considerable number are albino, and thus at high risk in such a hot climate. Sister Felicity indicated that many who are albino die from cancer. Ninety are AIDS orphans and others have lost one parent. Children come from all over Kenya to attend St.Lucy’s. For many this is the only home they know. The choir director and several other staff were former students at St. Lucy’s.
While at St’ Lucy’s we were treated to a special performance by the student choir – a "Welcome to St. Lucy’s" and a selection from Handel’s Messiah. In addition, we were treated to a Scouts drill and a dance performance. In each of these activities, students from this school do very well competing against students from sighted schools. It was hard to keep the tears at bay when witnessing this performance.
In past times Kenyans often viewed their disabled children with shame but that belief is rapidly changing towards a ‘view that they are God’s children and it is our responsibility to help and assist them’. This change in attitude was obvious in every school we visited, not only at St.Lucy’s. Special funds are being released to build classrooms for special needs students in every school that has such a class.
posted by Admin at 1:17 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home