Allamano Special School

Community days are part of our assignments. We had planned two community days which both have to do with schools - one with the Allamano Special School for Mentally Handicapped and another one with Kimathi University College of Technology (where we plan on talking to students about engineering and IBM). Unfortunately, due to the current teachers' strike, our community days have been limited to a few hours on our planned days.

Last Monday, we went to Allamano.  It was supposed to be for the whole day, but it was limited to a few of hours in the afternoon. The children/students were very eager to see us as we got out of our cars. We were glad to spend time with them as well. It was nice to be out after our long hours of work preparing for our mid-term review with our clients, and it was specially nice to see how happy and grateful the students and the school administrators that we were able to spend some time with the kids even for a short time.

Allamano has about eighty five students, and they provide lodging for all the students. The school's goal is to be give the students skills to be able to integrate with the society by the time they leave the school. The students are government-sponsored until they are twenty-five years old. Most of them leave the school when they turn twenty-five. They can stay if their family or someone else sponsor them. They have different classes depending on the ability of the kids.

Sister Anne gave us a tour of the school and their dormitory. They are pretty self-supporting as they have a vegetable garden, chicken coop and a few milking cows.  Of course, they appreciate as much as can be given to them - e.g. they have a small chapel where they hold their masses and prayers, and they need some items for the chapel.

After the tour, we had some time to play and spend with the kids. Some of us played musical chairs, balloon blowing, etc with them. They also recited a poem and sang for us. Overall, it was a great afternoon. The kids were so adorable. Most of them are just happy that they have new friends to visit them. A few of them are very eager to pose for pictures as they want to see their image after the picture is taken.

Kids gathering in the school's front lawn as we arrive

Sister Anne showing us the table cloth that the kids weaved

Weaving tools

Girls' dormitory

School kitchen

Chicken coop

One of the cows in the school

Vegetable garden which provides most of the meals

Physical therapy room for kids where a doctor visits them once a week

Kids dancing

Felicity playing musical chairs with the kids

Tamara awarding the winner of the musical chairs

Dorine and Ashok getting ready for their game

Kevin dancing with the kids

Charbak with the kids

With Felicity

With Paula and Nadia

Mukur and Vivian dancing with the kids

Pinaki and Vivian presenting our donated toys and school supplies

Some of the kids wearing the beanies that Angela brought them

My new friend and I

With Sister Ann and Kevin

She was so happy when I told her that she looked so sharp in her blazer

The kids wouldn't let Angela leave =)

Here's an adorable video of the kids reciting a poem for us. Kevin translated and told us that they were reciting about our visit being a blessing =)

For information on how you can help Allamano, please check out the website for Friends of Allamano. 




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