Rotary Club of Buckhead Georgia Advances Computer Learning for the Blind

[Photo caption: inABLE Executive Director Irene Mbari-Kirika speaks to members and guests of the Rotary Club of Buckhead at a February 7th event.]

On Tuesday, the Rotary Club of Buckhead Georgia invited inABLE Executive Director Irene Mbari-Kirika to speak about the impact of their donation of 10 flat-panel computers for low vision and special needs students at Thika Primary School for the Blind in Kenya. Irene expressed the gratitude of the students, teachers and community, reported computer learning advancements, and encouraged the Rotary Club to continue supporting inABLE's Computer Labs for the Blind educational programs in Africa.

This well-attended luncheon, held at the Cherokee Town & Country Club in Atlanta, also featured guest speaker Jay E. Hakes, director of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum. Additional photos are posted in photo gallery.

inABLE Celebrates 2011 Achievements

As we start this New Year, we are full of confidence and gratefulness for all of the accomplishments we attained - together - in 2011. Because there are so many individual actions and contributions that power inABLE, we want to countdown some of the amazing achievements over the last year.

A Dream Come True - Years of planning, praying, and outreach finally paid off. Bidco Ltd’s shipping container gift united students and the Kairi community in one central Our Reading Spaces Program library.

Kenya National Library Recognizes ORS Kairi Library - Impressed with the new library and large book inventory to be catalogued, the visiting (KNLS) Head Librarian offered to send two of her KNLS staff members to assist Librarian Naomi in the process.

Internet Helps Blind Students Become Good Writers- Given time and access our blind or visually impaired students can fully utilize the vast educational tools available on the internet, just like their sighted peers.

Blind Students Excel - All of the Class 7 students - who happen to be totally blind - were exceptionally good in Excel data tabulation.

Teaching the Teachers -inABLE helped Thika High School for the Blind teachers acquire new computer skills.

Library of Congress Kenya Shares Computer Donation - Students welcome computer donation and recognition delivered by Library of Congress Field Director Pamela Howard Reguindin.

First Class of Computer Savvy inABLE Students Graduate - inABLE extends our sincere gratitude and utmost respect to our first class of graduates. We are immensely proud of all of you (Mwololo, Brown, Kiongo, Ndinda, Michere) and hold you all dearly in our hearts.

inABLE's Visually-Impaired IT Guru Wows Cisco Networking AcademyOfficials

[Photo caption: inABLE IT instructor Christine Kayathi demonstrates her computer capabilities to Cisco Networking Academy Officials]

Christine Kayathi, inABLE's visually impaired IT guru and a blind teacher at the Thika School for the Blind, met with Cisco Networking Academy officials on December 1st. Cisco's Kenya Manager Hital along with Den Sullivan, Head of Architectures and Enterprise Emerging Markets based in the United Arab Emirates, were immediately astonished by how fast Christine multitasked using different tabs in the browser.

Since our Cisco Academy guests had never seen a blind person maneuver a computer with such efficiency, they were quite impressed and promised to help Christine enhance her computer skills so that she can further advance technology at the Thika School for the Blind. Hital and Den also gave thumbs up to inABLE for their good work.

Here is another great story that shows that being blind does not mean having no vision. We are very proud of our adept computer instructor for setting a good example and shattering notions that blindness impedes computer proficiency.

First Class of Computer Savvy inABLE Students Graduate

inABLE extends our sincere gratitude and utmost respect to our first class of graduates. As the Chinese proverb goes “a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step”. In September 2009, inABLE established its first computer program at the Thika Primary School for the Blind. These capable students came prepared to our computer lab ready to learn, despite the numerous start-up challenges we faced.

Today, we wish each of our graduates the best in life as you step forward to pursue your dreams. You are the best example inABLE can show in terms of achievement. Since the computer labs for the blind journey, which is now expanding across Kenya and soon parts of Africa, began with you.

We are immensely proud of all of you (Mwololo, Brown, Kiongo, Ndinda, Michere) and hold you all dearly in our hearts. You leave here today web developers and computer skilled individuals. You have aptly demonstrated that being blind does not mean lack of vision.

We will greatly miss you.

Library of Congress Kenya Field Director Shares Computer Donation & Enthusiasm

[photo caption:Thika Primary School for the Blind students receive computer donation delivered by Library of Congress Field Director Pamela Howard Reguindin]

On October 25th, we were privileged to receive high profile guests from the Library of Congress, based in the US Embassy – Kenya. Field Director Pamela Howard Reguindin, accompanied by her driver Meshack, were first welcomed in the main office and given a brief historical background of the Thika Primary School for the Blind and its achievements.

The Field Director kindly delivered computer donations, which were happily received by the students, teachers, support staff and inABLE team. She also gave a “NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL POSTER” sponsored by the US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, bearing the image of President Abraham Lincoln.

Our guests were then taken to the school library where they found the students reading books of their choice. The Field Director was impressed to see the number of books available and the neatness of the library. While moving exploring the library, the Director's attention was caught by a popular children’s chapter book. In fact she suggested that the book be read to the students. The title of the book “The Hostile Hospital” is the eighth novel in the book series A Series of Unfortunate Events by author Lemony Snicket and illustrated by Illustrator Brett Helquist.

After the library tour, we moved to the main computer lab where students demonstrated their skills by adding more weight to the school motto which says "DISABILITY IS NOT INABILITY”. The Field Director commended the inABLE team for their good work connecting the students to the world of technology.

Early Computer Experience Benefits Class 3 & 4

Joy and happiness were in full expression when class 3 and 4 learned that they would finally be invited into the computer program. Initially, the computer instructors were concerned that young boys and girls, who still require a lot of time to play, would struggle to settled down and listen. This was not the case, as these young learners proved to be very obedient and quick learners, though some did require extra attention when to learning the keyboard because their fingers were stiff and not steady.

Stepping into an unknown environment is always a bit unnerving; however in this case we truly experienced the fun of teaching young blind children. These fearless young learners have progressed splendidly and are already very good at typing. We are now working towards merging them into the main stream, simply because they are extremely good.

This early exposure to technology is a bridge that will help these students access more learning and sharing opportunities available online and in emerging mobile technology.

French Embassy – Nairobi Team Sees Computer Skills of Visually Challenged Close-up

A team of visitors from the French Embassy – Nairobi were ushered into the Thika Primary School for the Blind computer lab several weeks ago by the school head teacher Mr. Jotham Makokha. The purpose of their visit was to learn how computers were being used to empower the blind and visually impaired students.

After a brief introduction of who we are ( inABLE) followed by a review of assistive technology in IT, a tech-savvy student named Mwololo took center stage to show our French Embassy - Nairobi visitors how visually challenged students navigate the web. Being an avid football fan, Mwololo decided to visit his favorite website - supersport.com – to find updates he missed during the holiday. After learning about his favorite teams, Mwololo moved on to the daily nation news, where he again sought out the sports segment, giving a clear indication of his sincere love for football.

As it turns out, football was a shared interest. Mwololo and the visitors had an enjoyable exchange. Everyone was impressed by Mwololo’s computer skills.

InAble thanks our French Embassy – Nairobi guests Faloince Lacroix, Cland Frey, Julian Mark, and Phantus Wambiya – Kenyan for their interest in how blind and visually challenged learners are using computers to develop their IT, current events, and social networking skills.

Students Impress International Guest

Photo: Marcus Berggren and Thika School for the Blind student John Brown]

One September 20th, the Thika School for the Blind received Marcus Berggren, a visitor from Sweden on a mission to see different projects that assist the less fortunate people in East African Countries. Our guest was impressed to see our computer lab, since he is also a visually impaired.

After learning about the computer program, Marcus then toured classes to meet the students and socialize. It was a very enjoyable moment when the students chatted with him in Swahili. Marcus also studies Swahili so that he can better communicate with the citizens of Swahili speaking countries.

Finally, Marcus was introduced to student John Brown, who brought him to the library and explained what takes place in there. When asked by our guest if John had ever faced challenges because his skin was very fair (John has albinism), he recalled an experience when some people shouted “eih eih ! ona mzungu” which translates to "look at that white boy". Quite wise and compassionate for his age, John quickly clarified that those people had never seen an albino and so to them any albino is a mzungu (white person). John understood that it was a learning moment.

The confidence and abilities that all the students demonstrated to our international guest made a lasting impression.

Teaching the Teachers by Peter Okeyo

inABLE had the opportunity to open it’s gates to Thika High School for the Blind Teachers to come and acquire the basic computer skills. The classes were conducted in two sessions, morning session and mid morning session. Because there were three visually impaired learners, it was decided to offer two sessions rather than just one (understandably, visually impaired learners may require more time). The same curriculum was taught at each session, so that any learner could attend both sessions.

With two computer labs at Thika School for the Blind, the sighted teachers were instructed in the main computer lab, while the visually impaired teachers could learn at their own pace in computer lab two.

The “teach the teacher” learning day was a success with everyone learning new computer skills.

Visiting Day Delight

Observing the smiles and joy of amazed parents as they watch their children use computers with confidence and enthusiasm is one of my favorite activities during visitor days. While these parents anticipated learning improvements they never dared to dream their child would be computer literate.

On one particular visiting day a class three student brought his guest to the computer lab to show her how he could navigate through the keyboard and open a program (math flash). It was clear that his parent was totally impressed with what her child had accomplished. After praising inABLE for this learning opportunity, she said “nobody could have ever thought that a blind person could use computer.” She was then concerned about what would happen when her child went to high school. She feared that these computer skills would be lost if children didn’t continue advancing.

Fortunately, inABLE is working hard to install computer labs to the Thika High School for the Blind and also in Kibos Kisumu. Thanks to the many generous donors, sponsors, and supporters who support inABLE’s mission to open computer labs for the blind at all of the blind primary and secondary schools in Africa.

by Carolyn Ngondi

Computer Lab donations are being accepted at http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/computer-labs-for-the-blind/?rf=ggWidget