Peter Didi & Humble Hearts

update from AngelCovers.org (Jan 21, 2009

Since posting 2 weeks ago about the desperate need for more Angel Cottage funding, donations have been coming in steadily. In such hard economic times, the outpouring of support for this project is wonderful to see. Approximately $1,100 has been received and numerous names have been added to the list for bricks. Beatrice tells me she will be able to start making bricks at the end of this month. I can’t wait to see names on the walls!

Many of you have not only made a donation,but have also passed the word along to family and friends about this great need. One example is of a couple who decided to look through their checkbook and make a donation equal to their largest Christmas present, and challenged their friends to do the same. Because of this great idea, hundreds of dollars was raised for Angel Cottage.

Just this week, Beatrice send me another story highlighting this great need. I’m going to post the story of Peter below. Feel free to pass this story on to anyone you know. We need less than $26,000 to complete this project. I know this seems like a lot of money, but just a month ago more than $40,000 was needed. Every single dollar makes a huge difference in the lives of these children. I’m so grateful to each and every one of you who has supporting Angel Cottage and the children who live there. They have a bright future because of your support.

“Peter walked in at Humble Hearts (HH) just at about 4pm when everyone was preparing to go home. He was in the company of a lady aged about 58 who introduced herself as a social worker. She then narrated on how she had met the lone Didi on the streets of Nairobi three and half years ago and took him to a government rehabilitation center where she works. Many of this government run centers are in pathetic situation and corruption is the order of the day.

The Center works hand in hand with police who bring them children that are lost or runaways some of the children end up being united to their parents but also most of them don’t. The high rates of street children has lead to the home being over crowded all the hearing children in the center of 250 are taken to a school near the center except for Didi who could not cope in the hearing school due to his disability.

For the three and half years Didi has always been left in the center helping with the delaying chaos, longing for a day when he too will be able to go to school like other children.

Peter Didi became his nickname since those who found him and live with him don’t know any sign language and neither does his.

The social worker was told about HH by a friend and she promised herself that she was not going to take NO for an answer, she said all the children living in the center came out to escort Didi to his new school and would be very sad if he was turned away.

No words could convince the two that AC was already full, they were willing for Didi to sleep in the class but attend school as the center could not afford his daily fares to school and back to the center.

Didi who we suspect could be about 15 years is now living at AC we have found him a mattress, blanket and sheets and he is now sleeping on the floor.

Didi looks very happy to be among other deaf children and really wants to learn sign language.”

Washington Opiyo joins Nairobi Univ.

WASHINGTON OPIYO JOINS UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

(by disabilitykenya.org)

Unconfirmed reports say that Washington Opiyo has joined the premier University to pursue parallel a degree course in Sociology. The new student who is deaf and is the current coordinator of disability programme at LVCT learns through a sign language interpreter.

The cost of education for sign language using students has been prohibitive as many universities in kenya are yet to see the need for adjustments to suit people with disabilties.

Many universities are still old versioned and lecturers are heavy with attitude that out side what they know learning cannot take place. They therefore are yet to see the importance of subsidizing costs of adjustments like sign language interpreters.

there is still also resistance to change as many lecturerers are poorly paid in public universities and find it hard to accomodate new teaching methods that may be inclusive to people with disabilties.
Deaf people also have right to equal and affordable higher education. The current push to upgrade polytechnics should consider adjustments for people with disabilties to expand the learning they have in vocational schools. Deaf people need more marketable skills to be able to compete equally for employment.

disabilitykenya.org will be interviewing Washington soon after he has hard one full semester at the university to catch up on the challenges.

As part of the disability manifesto 2007-12 higher education opportunties are one of the requirements to enable people with disabilties compete with others for higher level emplyment opportunties available in Kenya.

There is need also to redefine fees for such students. reports indicate that washington has to pay for the interpreter as part of his tuition fees. This is outrageous since the costs of an interpreter for one one month for quality work cannot be below Kshs. 25,000 or about 400 USD.

Add that to tuition fees for a paralel course, accomodation and transport apart from food and miscellenoues and the costs of four years in university is almost equal to three student in a regular class in the university.

Beatrice Anunda in the US

from Angel Covers blog:

After a whirl-wind trip across the United States, Beatrice Anunda headed back to Kenya today. Beatrice was thrilled to have been brought to the US by the Trillium School in Oregan. Very supportive of Humble Hearts, the Trillium School has sent two groups of high school kids to Humble Hearts with their teachers to help build desks, paint walls, plant a garden, and many other things.

While in Oregon, Beatrice learned new teaching methods from the Trillium School, was able to see the ocean, and met many wonderful supporters. We were fortunate that she also had time to come to Denver. While here she spoke at a school for the deaf, met with two non-profit organizations interested in helping deaf and impoverished children, had an online chat with sponsors, meet many sponsors in person, learned about Halloween, and many other things. She was also able to see snow for the first time and went to the top of the Continental Divide…exclaiming “I’ve never been so cold in my life!”

After leaving Denver, Beatrice had the great fortune of going to Pennsylvania for a week to visit the Scranton School of the Deaf. It was exciting to hear her be so enthusiastic about what she had learned. Seeing New York City was a huge hit too.

Thanks to everyone who talked to her through the online chat, took the time to meet her, have her in your homes, and show her this beautiful country of ours. She had a wonderful time, much was learned, and many new people learned how they too can help Humble Hearts.

Mzee Bubu

It seems that Mzee Bubu (whoever he is) is on holidays this time to America???

It appeared that he have switched the comments off as well.

It is a very extraordinary blog but it is a pity that the comments were full of very personal attacks which kinda spoiled everything.

==

Shane Mwangi

Kenya – calmer lately…

Things are getting quiet in Kenya at the moment.

Most kids have returned to their schools – Austine Otieno have informed me that all deaf kids are accounted for at Maseno School for the Deaf. My sister-in-law said that all kids are accounted for at Kerugoya School for the Deaf so I guess most schools are okay for now.

Some schools have endured food shortage (especially Maseno School for the Deaf) but it is okay for now.

There were fear that CBM who have funded many of the deaf schools here in Kenya may have withdrawn their fundings – and I do not know if it will still happen.

So much depends on Kibaki and Raila and whether they can reach some kind of compromise – it is natural for us to desire for a better and strong Kenya but time will tell.

updates on post-conflict Kenya

Nickson have informed me that several deafies in Dandora were attacked/harmed but we don’t have further information.

Albert have informed me by email that a deaf person was killed in Kibera

==

Shane Mwangi

Happy New Year from Norwegian Deaf Aid’s Jean-Claude Adzalla

from: Norwegian Deaf Aid website at here

31.12.2007

Two weeks ago, this is how we planned the entry to the new year: gathering with friends, staff party (I was to handle the cooking), night out . . . while kids are finally gone to bed.

It’s now 40 minutes to 2008 . . . well, here in Kenya very few are aware of it . . . those who are cant do much about it. Our initial plans seems so far away! Shops closed, no public transport, no electricity, no water in some areas, no airtime for mobile phones . . .

The questions in everyones mind is: will we make it to the next year? Uncertainly and the volatile situation created by the late election process takes the blame. Nevertheless we are resolved to get through.

Can’t help thinking about those deaf children who don’t understand anything to this unrest. . . Yes! We do hope they are all somewhere safe . . . at the gate of 2008 where “best wishes” is more meaningful than ever!

Happy new year!

Hope the beginning of the year will wipe out the disappointments of the end 2007 for you and for Kenya!

Jean-Claude Adzalla, Nairobi, Kenya

update

Update:

Washington Opiyo Sati replied eventually to my text asking if he is okay. He said that he cant get credit for his phone until now – he was “trapped” in his house, protecting himself from the riots and lootings. He said that he was very anxious and angry that things had to happen to people like him.

Pastor Winston Anyumba responded saying that he was in Nairobi for protection – his Church in Ruiru is mainly Kikuyus and they did not have issues with having a Luo pastor they were very supportive of Pastor Winston as he is Deaf himself. In fact his mainly Kikuyu congregation have helped him out etc.

Tribalism is not a big issue in Kenya’s Deaf community but there are some members who encourages tribalism but thankfully for most Deaf people, being “bubu” comes first.

Peter Kagotho the deaf artist who used to sell his art work at Yaya Sunday Market texted me saying that he is safe and that he hoped that things will calm down in Kenya.

Tobias Ochieng the deaf teacher at Humble Hearts School (Nairobi) replied to our texts saying that he and his family are fine – that they are thankful they were not harmed or anything like that.

I am very concerned about Humble Hearts School – I haven’t heard from Beatrice Anunda and her family who runs the Humble Hearts School – we pray that nothing will happen to them as Beatrice have done a lot of hard work for the deaf kids in the Donholm slums.

Good news about Ben Mulala and Margaret Odhiambo – they got to Kisumu eventually – with the help of their friends who contributed together to pay for their airticket, they managed to get out of the confusion and the riots.

We at Empowering Deaf Kenya will keep a close eye on the developments in Kenya.

update on Peace Corps Volunteers

From Frank Lester’s blog dated Monday 9th Jan 2007 (http://frester.livejournal.com/)

Things have calmed down here in Kenya. Peace Corps still want us at standfast in Nairobi. Some of the volunteers have been airlifted to Dar es Saleem, Tanzania while others were transported to Kampala, Uganda. About 20 of us remained in Nairobi. We try to make the best of the situation by entertaining ourselves (reading, cooking, playing games, shopping, talking, and other time-wasting activities) and working a little bit at the Peace Corps office.

The security officers from U.S. Embassy wants to assess the safety before giving the Peace Corps okay to allow volunteers to return to their site/home. It will take about 10 days. So I won’t be returning to Webuye at least after the 16th of this month.

The back to school date have been pushed forward a week or two.

My time on the internet is limited, as 20 other volunteers are waiting to use the computer. I’ll write more next time.

Another blog entry dated Wed 9th Jan 2008 (http://frester.livejournal.com/)

Volunteers from the Central, Eastern, and Coast provinces are being returned to their sites. Those from the Western province like me are still being held, because western Kenyans wanted Raila Odinga (Kibaki’s opponent) and may not rest. There are about 30 of us. The staff house that we have been staying at is full, so Peace Corps is moving all of us to a hotel in a town two hours north of here, near Mount Kenya. They said the reason is so that they can consolidate all evacuating volunteers and plan activities for us (language training, group work, and some fun).

The 16th of January is the day of judgment when we will learn of our fate, whether we can return to our site or not.

My mother emailed me a very interesting comment. When the U.S. had its election, it was clearly that the incumbent stole the election, and Bush got the presidency, its citizen laid back and did little. Kenyans, when learned that votes were rigged, reacted differently, and with passionate.

Terrible, terrible times in Kenya!

Many of us watched Kenya with horrified eyes – we never thought so much have happened in the two days once the results were announced. I fear for my wife’s family, my Deaf friends in Kenya and my mates who work in development there. I fear for Beatrice Anunda’s Humble Hearts School as it is in one of the Nairobi slums affected by the riots. I haven’t heard from her yet.

Austine Otieno, a deaf teacher, is safe at Maseno School for the Deaf. Joel Runnels of GDC is in Nairobi safe with his girlfriend and daughter. Kevin Warnke is in Holo (Coast Province). Nickson Kakari is in Mongolia working. Tobias Ochieng of Humble Hearts is safe with his family. Evans Burichani is still in Bugoma. He said that he doesn’t know when the deaf teacher-students are back to Machakos Teachers College until the fightings calms down. Please do keep EMDK informed.

Ben Mulama (a Deaf teacher at Nyangoma) and Margaret Odhiambo (a deaf teacher at Mumias) were left trapped at Kenyatta University – they were scared for their lives as they were Luos trapped in the Kikuyuland – they can’t even get matatus home to Kisumu never mind Nairobi. I was informed that they are in Nairobi trying to get the flight home to Kisumu but it is very difficult.

As far as we know, deaf people were not injured or killed but we will know soon.

Winston Anyumba, the pastor in Ruiru, had to be in Nairobi for safety reasons as Ruiru is in Central Province – a Kikuyu town and Winston is a Luo. It is not safe for him to be there until the crisis dies down. It is a very sad thing as Winston worked with Kikuyus for a few years now – as many of the readers know, tribal identity is not important in Kenya’s Deaf Community.

My wife have said that all schools in Kenya were given another week of “holidays” – her hearing sister is back at nursing college outside Nyeri.

I have received word that the Peace Corps volunteers are evacuated to Dar es Salaam (the old capital in Tanzania) to avoid any possible attacks.

We pray that Kibaki and Raila will sit down together and talk. It is not fair on Kenya’s Deaf Tribe – no access to information etc.

In fact, it was difficult for deaf Kenyans to get credit for their mobile phones – they were like gold dust.

==

Irish himself, Shane Mwangi is a sign linguist based at University of Amsterdam. He works with interpreters, sign linguists and Deaf teachers in Kenya. He have a fondness for Kerugoya School for the Deaf as it was his first placement and it is where his Kenyan family are from.