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