ICEVI News from Africa
Gladys Nyaga, Deputy Regional Chairperson

Year 2000 was a great year for Africa, although there was draught in East Africa, floods in Mozambique and Zimbabwe, and Ebola in Uganda specialist and class teachers did not ghere was hope and faith to shall overcome. Our donors like Sight Savers International (SSI), Christoffel Blinden Mission (CBM) International, Dark & Light, DANIDA, organisation for and of the blind in collaboration with ministries of education continued to provided education services to visually impaired children in schools and home programme.

Awareness creation about ICEVI through print media and formation of ICEVI chapter in Kenya which brought over 130 participants to a conference in Nairobi in April 2000. The participants came from as far as Turkana, Mombasa, Isiolo, Wajir, Meru, and Uganda. Two delegates from Gambia who are undertaking special education courses in Kenya and Uganda also attended the Kenyan conference.

Outcome of the conference:

• I am happy to note that the head teachers and co-ordinating itinerant teachers have reported some improvement on examinations. This was the result of sensitisation and dialogue between examination council during the ICEVI conference.
• The visually impaired persons, the service providers, and parents had a chance to meet and express their views as partners in education.
• Mrs Gladys Nyaga visited education programmes in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi and Tanzania.

Plans for 2001:

• With funding from ICEVI and other donors, training workshops have been planed for Kenya, Uganda, and Malawi starting from February 2001.
• More children will join schools this year at least 100 - 200 per country.
• Parents as equal partners will play their roles.

Africa needs continued support from ICEVI and other donors.

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