MON, JAN 17 - TOUR SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF

After regrouping at the farm, we walked over to the School for the Deaf for a tour of this program. They use American (rather than Kenyan) sign language here because so many of their staff have been trained in the United States. We met Rhonda, the head teacher and Alfred, the deputy superintendent who greeted us. Florence Mubichi is the one on the right in the picture. Students range from nursery to 22 year olds. They use the normal educational system. There are 3 high schools for the deaf in kenya; if a student doesn't make it into one of them, he or she may stay here and take vocational-technical classes.

The school was founded in 1965 by the Kenya Methodist Church. It started with 7 children and now has over 600 graduates and 165 currently enrolled. (The school was built for 120, so there is some congestion.)

Like most schools in Kenya, this is a boarding school. There is a stigma about having a deaf child in Kenya. Many cases of deafness can be attributed to malnutrician during pregnancy. Many students come from outside this part of Kenya. They go home to their families during the usual school breaks -- April, August and December.

The school dreams of having a library for deaf students, deaf adults and professionals working with the deaf. It would also be open to others in the area as well.