An update from Humble Hearts School in Kenya
- Country:
- Kenya
- Organisations involved:
- Humble Hearts School
Angel Covers UK - Synopsis:
-
When you look at this thriving and successful school today, it is hard to believe that only three short years ago, the “school” consisted of just a handful of children in a church hall. Today Humble Hearts has over 200 pupils, 18 members of staff, 14 classrooms, a library, staff room and offices.
The beginning
In 2003, teacher Beatrice Anunda became aware of the needs facing deaf children living in the Sinai/Donholm -a slum area of Nairobi. Slum areas are home to an estimated one and a half million people in Nairobi. Many people come to this area in desperation, driven by poverty and hunger. Sadly many of them lack education and consequently old superstitions persist.
There are deaf children who are fortunate to have enlightened parents who love and value them. However, the neglect and abuse of deaf children in the slum sadly tends to be the norm rather than the exception.
It was against this backdrop of superstition that Beatrice first had to persuade parents that their children had potential and were actually worth educating. This in itself was a difficult exercise. Over the first year, it was touch and go. Beatrice went door-to-door persuading parents to bring their children to school. In 2004, she got in touch with IDCS and we encouraged her to write this article and published it on the IDCS website. The article explains how financially things were very difficult for the school. However, the indefatigable and determined Beatrice soon started attracting international funding, through Angel Covers - an organisation which got in touch with Beatrice through the IDCS.Humble Hearts today
An increase in funding allowed the school to acquire a small plot of land and construct the current building in the shape of a single story quadrangle. The classrooms are small, made from corrugated iron with dirt floors. However, the wealth of this school is not in the buildings but in the quality and commitment of its teachers and the burning desire of these disadvantaged children to learn, to gain an education and a future.
With expansion, Beatrice was able to accept the hearing siblings of deaf children. The school now takes in hearing children from the local area. All children are taught Kenyan sign language and lessons are given in English, Kiswahili and sign language. This integration is helping to break down the taboos associated with deafness and allows hearing and deaf children to study and play together. Currently, about one quarter of the pupils are deaf.
The attitude of the local community has also changed. Initially it was one of derision. Humble Hearts is now seen as one of the most progressive schools in the slum with an excellent academic record. Derision has been replaced by respect and the school now has a waiting list. This list is only for hearing children. The school is and always will be a school for deaf children, so these children have automatic admission.The school day is long. Class starts at 7.30, although teachers are on site from 7am to allow children to catch up with homework. Many children have to walk great distances to reach the school and some have to leave home before 5am.
It is quite usual to see mixed age groups in the classes as 18 year olds rub shoulders with 8 year olds. This is because many of the children have had interrupted or no previous education. Unlike the UK system, children have to pass an annual exam in order to move up to the next class.
As the school receives no government funding, it is entirely dependent on donations to keep it running. The backbone of its finding comes from a sponsorship scheme. Currently, just under half the children are sponsored.
However, this is unlike the traditional model of child sponsorship. Sponsors from all over the world “meet” on a yahoo group forum, which acts as a cyber PTA. Many of the improvements that have taken place in 2006 have come as a result of sponsors getting together in this way. These improvements include medical check-ups, installing a water tank, building latrines, safety fencing the play area and improvements in nutrition.
The Next Step
Many of the pupils have now reached secondary level, which is quite unusual in areas of extreme poverty. The school is justifiably proud of these pupils, however, along with higher education comes the need for improved facilities. Beatrice has purchased land for a secondary school and one of the targets for 2007 is to raise funds to build this new school.
Land has also been purchased for a new Angel Cottage. This is the schools refuge and orphanage. Currently the conditions at Angel Cottage are very cramped and many of the children sleep two or even three to a bed.
Nearly all the children in the refuge are deaf. With the support of her wonderful parents, Winston and Doreen, Beatrice has taken 35 children into her own small and very crowded home. Here they are given the nurturing, love, understanding and support that they were unable to receive in their own homes. There are many more vulnerable children urgently waiting to be admitted, however, until the new Angel Cottage is built no more children can be accepted. Work started on the foundations for a new refuge in January 2007 so everyone is praying and hoping that this dream will become a reality very soon.
Humble Hearts is a truly remarkable school. Not only is it improving the welfare of deaf children and giving them a future, it is also breaking through the taboos associated with deafness and making a positive change to attitudes within the local community.Can you help ?
If you would like to get in touch with Angel Covers UK - please contact Jane, by e-mail at therapy1@onetel.com or by telephone at 01308 861351.At the moment, Angel Covers UK are collecting children's books, especially books with deaf characters. Please contact Jane if you can help in any way.
There are currently no comments on this page.
