Meet FAULATA WANJIRU. She is 19 years old and she is in Standard One.
Before you ask how is that, hold on for some fact.
She has Celebral Palsy and she
was born that way. She is a pupil at Salvation Army Joytown Special School for
the Physically Handicapped in Thika.
My regular visit to that school
usually uplifts my spirit and gets me to focus on the important things in life.
This place does wonders for people like her. Gone are the days when these
children used to be hidden in dark rooms with little or no chance of ever
living a normal life.
When you step into the confines
on this special school, there is a sense of hope, pride and optimism that
abound. They laugh and love like we all do. There is a special bond between
this kids that is not found elsewhere. Some of them cannot talk, others cannot
walk, but they understand each other.
They help each other across the
compound and hold on to each other. They have a special bond among themselves. They
are the ones who are special, not the school.
As you walk into the school, you
see swings and other items in the play area. And oooh, there is a swimming
pool. Some of them can just stare and watch as others play. Others are content
with being on the ground as they have no wheelchairs.
The Staff at the school are doing
some amazing work. Caretakers or ‘mothers’ as they are known sleep together
with them. They have adequate Grace to work in that place. The teachers are
amazing. They do what an ordinary teacher cannot do.
In an effort to raise awareness
in the surrounding community and the society as whole on the plight of these
children, the School management has organized a Charity Walk. They have also
arranged to have the kids collect money from the general public to enable them
cater for the education needs of some, meet expenses for purchase of
wheelchairs for the kids without, and provide physiotherapy for others.
I have been asked to help raise
money. Am now appealing to the Charitable among you to join me for this noble
cause.
The Charity Walk will take place
in the morning of Saturday 1st
October 2011 from Blue Post Hotel to the School. The School is situated
Next to Mary Help of the Sick Mission Hospital and Bishop Okoye Funeral Home.
I ask you all my Friends to help
me raise money for this school by your contribution. Am also inviting you for
the walk because I believe that this will be a good opportunity for us to
appreciate these kids the way they are and send some love to them.
Kindly carry some snack for them.
They love that.
If you can help, you can send
through MPesa to my number 0722 507887
or you forward the money to me personally at the JKUAT- Information Systems
Office IEET Building 2Fl. They have given me a card where friends can write
down their contribution.
You can also deposit your
donation to SALVATION ARMY JOYTOWN
SPECIAL PRIMARY SCHOOL, BARCLAYS BANK ACCOUNT NUM: 1183230 and give me a
copy of the deposit slip.
I will later post a record of the
contributions made. God Bless you as you plan to contribute.
And by the way, that girl is my COUSIN.
