The Students

The students, aged 6 to 25 come from all regions of Zambia to the residential school where many of the teachers are also visually impaired.  There are diverse causes of their blindness (including measles, glaucoma, albinism and due to accidents) and visual impairment but there is a commonality that gives the students and faculty a unique bond.

The students attend school five days a week from 7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. with afternoons spent working in the gardens, tending the animals, playing sports participating in debates, and singing.  They are also responsible for helping out in the kitchen, doing laundry and other activities of daily living. 

A volunteer certified mobility trainer initiated a mobility training program and works with the students in the use of white canes, maneuvering on uneven terrain, and walking in crowds.  

Children attend the school until the 9th grade and then move on to secondary schooling.  The Zambian government partially funds the school, but most supplies have to be donated or purchased.  There is an extreme shortage of Braille paper which makes it difficult for the children who use handheld Braille frames with a stylus to make notes during lessons, and the lack of food is always an issue.

Students politely greet visitors to the school

The ideal situation would include having a number of Perkins Braillers to facilitate learning and better prepare the students for life in the workplace. Currently there are two Perkins Braillers but they are shared by the Headmaster and staff members.

Typical classroom 

In a sign of solidarity, empathy and friendship – those with some sight help those who are completely blind make their way over the uneven and broken paths around the compound.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a higher than average incidence of albinism. The school has several children with the condition and who are visually impaired. Because they are ostracized in the general public for being different, they are able to learn better in the school's safe and accepting environment.  

The frightening reality is there is not only a social stigma for being albino; in some neighboring African countries, those with albinism are killed so their body parts can be used for witchcraft.