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01/06
Kenyan Partnership - Volunteering and Changing the World
16/02/2006
Celestine Omandi is a Coordinator from The Association for the physically disabled of Kenya (APDK) and she is based in Nairobi. Celestine came to work at The Rainbow Children’s Centre part of The Westminster Society for 4 months.
This year we were lucky enough to work with The Commonwealth Professional Fellowship and VSO UK on a program that provides placements to people from similar fields from other countries. The programme helps develop and support networks that bring together individuals and organisations across countries where VSO works to enable the sharing of information, skills and knowledge. The end aim of all LINKS programmes is for people to share experiences and learn through doing in order to develop positive and practical new approaches to their work.
Back home Celestines organization works with people with disabilities their aim is to support people to overcome their physical limitations and empower them socially and economically to become self reliant and fully integrated members of their community with an emphasis of given to children with special needs.
Like The Westminster Society, APDK is also a charity and was established in 1958 and as Celestine explained, we are 5 years older but 20 years poorer as they rely solely on donations. One of the things that struck her the most while working at Rainbow was the amount of specialist equipment that is available here in the UK. Celestine told me that they do not have hoists and it can be very difficult to transfer people eg from chair to bed, they certainly are resourceful in Nairobi as they recycle any kind of equipment that they use once it is no longer required
Can you help?
Perhaps you have some specialist equipment that is no longer in use? or you have had an upgrade recently? Celestine and The Association for the physically disabled of Kenya would greatly appreciate donations of any equipment: especially the following:
- Hoists
- Paediatric changing beds
- Any type of sensory room equipment
- Makaton books or guides
- Any toys and books that can be used in early learning
We would really appreciate your help, if you think you can please contact Laurence Swan 020 8968 7376.