Vocational Training

Many of our older children are just not suited to going to school. The classrooms are over crowded, inaccessible and children who are slower to learn really have little chance of getting much attention from an already over stretched teacher.


Both Mamusu and Basiru live in an area we work in called Sima Town, and both have been given a wonderful oppertunity to gain more practical skills at a Vocational Training Centre we have managed to link with. They are the youngest, and the only disabled people there, but both are eager to learn.

Basiru started about a month ago and has already come home proud with some of his accomplished work helping in carpentry. He sure is the talk of his friends!!

While Mamusu hopes start in the tailoring class as soon as possible. There was a slight hitch with Mamusu as the center is a long mountain-path walk away. Basiru is able to walk easily, but Mamusu unfortunatly would not make it in her wheelchair designed for nice smooth pathways. Thankfully, I have contacts with a project funded by Rotary who make PETS - Personal Energy Transportation Systems. These hand propelled carts are much sterdier and able to manage african terrain. Mamusu however had some arm muscle building work to be done. So after a month she is now the proud owner and skilled driver of her own PET. She will need some help on the steep slopes, but otherwise her mum and family are happy to send her off. It's taken some hard work but hopefully she's now got her chance.

People often ask where my office is....

I'm often asked where my office is or where people can find or contact me....

it's a bit hard to give them a definate.....

Abu and are are found...

scaling mountains,

trekking though grasses,

dodging traffic,

ducking under corrugated iron roofs,

turning corners,

scrambling into ravines,

jumping rivers....

you name it, where-ever the families live,

that is where you will find us!!

Though I have to say with temperatures reaching the 30's daily, walking around or in a very hot car, and little shade to be had, sometimes I get to the patients house looking like this:

This particular patient was off with her mum getting water so I took a well needed bit of shut eye...Abu thought it be very funny to 'snap' me!!

Umaru's special chair...

I promised in my last newsletter that I'd post some photos of Umaru's chair so here they are...

Doesn't he look great? The table encourages him to use his hands to not only play, but to support his body too.

Abu is especially proud of this chair since it is the first one he has measured, designed and fitted for himself, with me just double checking the details. So well done Abu too!

The chair can be tilted back to allow Umaru a better chance to keep his body and head upright. This tilting mechanism is hard to make, but our skilled carpenter Allusan does a great job balancing the tilt and safety.

Umaru's family are happy to finally give their son a chance to sit upright, and Umaru will even dance with a huge grin to show us just how much he loves his new chair too!!