Relief for parents with children with deaf-blindness

An organization specializing in multi-sensory impairment has partnered with the government to offer training to parents whose children are suffering from the problem on how to interact and work with the youngsters.

Through the partnership, Sense International Organization (Sio) and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), will develop a curriculum for a programme dubbed community based education that will provide training through installed videos in a tablet and on digital versatile discs (DVDs).

Speaking during the handing over of 30 tablets to parents at Millennium Hotel in Ukunda, Kwale County, the organisation’s Country Manager Edwin Osundwa said the idea will reduce the cost of training and also assist parents who may forget what they are taught.

“We have been training parents on certain things because they must at first know how to interact with those children but calling them every other time is expensive,” he said.

Mr Osundwa said the curriculum was written in a manual which was later converted into a DVD format and stored on memory cards which is inserted into the tablets for easy accessibility.

He added that by having the tablets and DVDs parents will no longer have to go for training as they can just open the videos and watch to acquire skills on how to deal with the children.

“Apart from Kwale County we have also done this in Nairobi, Kericho, Bomet and Kisumu counties where we have given out DVDs and tablets to those who do not have DVD machines,” he said.

The Coordinator of Kwale County Educational Assessment and Research Center (EARC) Juma Kuonerwa welcomed the support saying the county has over 175 affected children.

He added that the most affected areas include Lunga Lunga, Kinango, Samburu and Mkongani where many children affected by the disability was caused by paralysis of the brain.

Similarly, Daniel Mwanza who represented Kwale County Director of Education, welcomed the intervention calling upon more partners to support the children who are stigmatized in the society.

He also asked parents who benefited from the gadgets to make good use of them in order to ensure that they achieve the objective which is anticipated.

“As a ministry we are leading the way and that is why we are here and it is my appeal that more organisations chip in to give the children a chance in life,” he said.

Ms Mary Mbuo from Menza Mwenye in Lunga Lunga Sub County could not hide her joy of having received the gadget to support her daughter.

Ms Mbuo said since she gave birth to her daughter, Christian Kaziani, 10 years ago her life took a dramatic twist as her fellow villagers treated her like an outcast.

“I am so happy to be here today. This meeting has given me an opportunity to realise that I am not alone as I have my fellow women who have children just like mine,” she said.

ABOUT THE CONDITION

Multi-sensory impairment is a condition where a person suffers loss of both hearing and sight ans it is sometimes referred to as deaf-blindness. The condition can also be referred to as dual sensory impairment.

According to Sio, on its website, the main cause of deaf-blindness is rubella.

Consequently, the condition is caused by severe infections during early childhood besides cerebral malaria and meningitis.