Wednesday, 26 August 2009

Second week of the APT training in Mtwapa

The chairs were put out to dry in the shade of the verandah


The new task for the second week was to measure a child and make something according to the child's measurements. This also involved taking into account where it was going to be used and measuring the chair or table where a standing board would be used.


Using a standing frame made in the first week to help measure the child
Then lots of calculations




Making a standing board also means that a band must be sewn



This lad was very happy to see be measured for a supportive seat plus footrest and tray.

He will use these in class Demonstrating the different bits to give K a secure seating position and good writing platform


Alfred and Baya checking the upright standing Frame they made for P. It has 3 pieces with two wooden A-frame supports so she can to use it outside. The wooden frames can sit in holes in the ground. It could also be used inside.

The supports were painted before going home
Happily the chairs were dry enough for painting - the standing frmes had to wait a week or more

Irene showed that beautiful, child-friendly mosaic designs can be made using little scraps of paper

On the last day we had an Exhibition

A small organizing committee was run by the School Chairman, Mr Mbwana Khamisi. Mr Muzungu the Head Teacher of the Special Unit at Mtwapa Sahajanand School had told all the parents of the schoolchildren, as had the participants. We had the APT items in the large classroom with people from each group ready to explain.

Musa explaing that he pmad sockets for a piece of hosepipe to have toys tied to it of for APT rods for reaching games for the child to be active and have fun while standing.

There were more items outside and different participants had book each which they showed and used for explanations for the visitors. Marian set up another classroom with items demonstrating practical and easy-to-accomplish ideas for helping a child with disabilities. There was soon a large gathering of parents and children listening and watching demonstrations such as positioning and feeding a young child with cerebral palsy.




One of the children demonstrating Standing Tall using his new standing frame!

The APT items, books and demonstrations were so popular that we almost ran out of time for an acrobatic display. The Angels Acrobats with Morris (one of the participants) put on an acrobatic show including some of the children in limbo dancing and then astounding and entertaining everybody with their agility.

The afternoon ended with a closing ceremony. Marion and I were made into Swahili ladies and given kangas and new names administered by the head teacher, Mrs Tabitha Runya. With Batul and Mr Khamisi we planted 4 trees in the courtyard of the school - the perfect end for a week of recycling paper that had orginally come from a tree!
Mr Soud Babo from the Early Assessment and Resource Centre (EARC) represented the District Education Officer, Kalifi, and closed the ceremony.



The Group photograph

The First Week of the APT Training Course

There were 17 participants from different organizations.

The first week concentrated on learning techniques using templates. Every group started with a chair. This was 'jumping in fast' but helped to make sure there was one piece of equipment that could be taken back to each organization that had sent a participant.

Musa, Baya and Alfred (just visible over Baya's shoulder) getting started


Irene , Phyllis and Tsuma getting started with working out a 'cutting list'

for the pieces of the chair


Baya, Timothy, Bernard and Willie checking


Ngedwe Catherine, Morris and Boniface starting to cut


and a few days later putting a final layer of cement bag paper on their chair




Dorothy and Amina working on their chair



Marian covering a physiotherpay bench and Baya covering his group's chair

Then...later on in the week

making chairs was followed by making standing frames


Bernard Ruwa and Larry tying their standing board pieces together


Phyllis and Irene making sure the knobs for their standing board are firmly secured




Timothy, Willie and Bernard busy with a small standing board



There were children around who had not gone home for the short holidays due to distance.

This group was making a happy dancing beat with the help of the watering can drum!

Tuesday, 11 August 2009

APT training starting in Mtwapa, near Mombasa


New course started Monday 3rd August
at Sahajanand School, Special Unit

17 participants


Now what?

A chair emerges!
(Victor, Bernard Mwanuya, Willie Chimwen, Timothy)

Measuring


The break-time band - the watering-can drumming was great, so was the dancing