Case Studies

"Without assistance from Sense International, our children would have remained hidden, because nobody understood their needs." Agnes, the mother of a deafblind child   

Aaron's story

Aaron lives with his grandparents in a small, rural village in Uganda.  He was born with hearing problems and soon began to lose his sight as well.  His deafblindness made him very accident prone and his grandparents did not know how to keep him safe.

So many deafblind children are written off but Sense International's pioneering programme - bringing education to the heart of the community - transformed the lives of Aaron and his family.

Edward, a local Sense International trained teacher, decided to visit the family and teach them sign language so that they could learn to communicate.  Edward knew that the key to Aaron being accepted by the village was for them to see the amazing progress Aaron was making.  So Edward would time the lessons for when people were most likely to come to the house and he tried to include as many people as possible, including Aaron's best friend, Maria.

With the specialist support of Sense International, Aaron has become a confident little boy. He now contributes to the family through a very special gift - he is able to smell and sense whether a jackfruit is hollow and therefore ripe and ready to be picked!

Aaron is now attending a specialist school where he is making good progress and is even starting to learn to read with large print.  Aaron's grandparents are so proud of their grandson and happy that he can participate in family activities. "He is starting to be a real person" his grandmother says.

Recently Aaron helped the other villagers make bricks which were sold and the proceeds divided.  Aaron's confidence has now grown so much that he was able to defend himself when his share was less than the others and was determined that he should receive a fair amount for his work! Truly a life transformed.

Daniel's story

For years, Daniel was a little boy locked in his own world; he had severe heart problems and reduced vision in one eye, and from the age of two, his hearing began to deteriorate. Neither of his parents were shown how to communicate with their deafblind child and consequently, they felt extremely isolated. His father, Shadrack was advised to keep Daniel in Nairobi so that he was close to the hospital as he was such a sickly child. He recalls one night when his son was sick and he walked ten kilometres to take him to hospital.  Both parents were desperate to help their son but crushed by the strain.

As Daniel's hearing worsened, he became more and more disruptive and frustrated because he was unable to communicate with his parents. His frustration would lead him to becoming violent and even setting his clothes on fire.

However, Daniel's life and that of his family were transformed in 2006 when Daniel started attending Kilmani School for the Deafblind in Nairobi. Over the last two years, the changes have been remarkable for this little boy.

Today, Daniel is a confident, popular member of the school. He has reached significant milestones and can now hold a cup and drink by himself; he can communicate using basic sign language and he has gained mobility and importantly, self-esteem.  His relationships with others have also changed. Before he was isolated and mistrusting of the other children, but he is now one of the favourites in the main school and the deafblind unit.  Like all little boys, Daniel loves riding his bike and playing football with the other children.

The transformation for their parents has been profound. Before Dan received specialist help, Shadrack felt ashamed and embarrassed of his son, convinced that the future would be bleak. Today, Shadrack is a proud father and knows that Daniel has huge potential; that he can help the family and that deafblindness need not be a barrier to his child living a full life.

Kevin's story

Kevin is nine years old and comes from a rural area outside Limuru in Kenya. He was born deaf and became blind due to glaucoma in infancy. During his early years, he was unable to communicate and had very little mobility.

Kevin's family felt isolated. The stigma of having a disabled son meant that the community and even some of the extended family shunned them and refused to offer any support. Kevin's mother had to give up work and it was extremely hard for the family to cope.

When Kevin was six, he was identified as deafblind and his mother was put in touch with Sense International's Parent's Association of Kenya. We helped to send Kevin to the local school where he is supported by a specially-trained teacher.

Kevin can now walk independently and has learned how to communicate with his family. He has even made friends at school. He loves playing with his toy car. His mother uses it to show Kevin how a real car works, how the steering wheel controls the car's direction and how the wheels turn around, propelling the car forward. He now dreams of a time when he might be able to own his own car.