It
is always interesting to see what happens when a group of committed children
with special needs undertake a course in Information Technology. At the Uganda
School for the Deaf, eighteen very brilliant young minds are attending a
digital literacy program based on INTEL'S EasySteps program supported
by the Australian Volunteers for International Development, designed and
implemented by the KiBO Foundation.
This
modularized course is aimed at improving everyday computing skills among these
children and discussing issues affecting them including their roles in
communities. Sitting in the computer class for
the first time, some of these
participants were nervous, scared and excited at the same time. “Touching a
computer has been one of the best things that has happened to me”, said one of the participants through an interpreter.
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Imparting
knowledge to these exceptional children using a language that the (KiBO) facilitators
did not understand (sign language) was quite challenging. However the
commitment, energy, and attention demonstrated by these trainees gave the
facilitators the drive to give it their best. These young minds asked
questions, helped each other out and were not afraid to express how they felt
during the course of the session. The excitement and gratitude expressed by
these children at the end of the day showed that something out of the
ordinary had been achieved. When asked about what they had
learnt, one of the participants, Leticia, spoke so precisely on how she can now
turn on a computer, use the keyboard and create folders. She is not the only
one who learnt something; the entire class had some kind words towards the
program. The interpreter, Mr.Bosa relayed their comments and most of them said, “we want them (the trainers) back because today’s
session exposed us to things we never knew”.
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| A sign language experience for Lilian from KiBO |
To
these deaf children, it is not only about gaining computer skills. It is about
building them as a whole and teaching them relevant life skills as well. The
program has just begun, let us wait and see what transformation takes place in
their lives at the end. Perhaps the next Steve Jobs is seated
in one of these classrooms.
On a
final positive note, the KiBO faciltators have learnt much about the indomitable human spirit, perseverance, patience, empathy,
a smuttering of sign language and life! The
future looks bright....
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