A Child called Nema

Nema, learning to walk

This is Nema. She’s 3 years old going on 4 and she's spastic. She's one of some 500 disabled persons that the Amani centre helps. The Amani centre in Morogoro was started in 1992 under a mango tree by a woman with a disabled child. It has come a long way since then, with 3 branch offices. The main branch has a few buildings erected with the help of foreign governments. It is run by a fulltime staff of 15 people under a Director, and volunteers help out.

 Nema's mother lives far away but she is staying for 2 weeks at the center with a younger child to learn how to care for Nema. The single qualified physiotherapist at the centre is helping Nema to walk. She's made good progress, according to the physiotherapist, who rattles off a long list of disabilities that the centre handles.

Benjamin, 15, is a paraplegic

Some 20 students are resident at the centre, but most students are day-care. The centre takes care of them so their parents can earn a living and also tries to rehabilitate those who respond to physiotherapy. And of course, they get to play with other children.

Disabled or not, these kids can dance! 

The CSC team visited Amani centre on Sept 30, bringing gifts for the children. We met the Director, toured the facilities and met the children. They ranged in age and disability: the Amani centre accepts all kinds of mental and physical disabilities.

An IBM balloon gets the squeeze

The IBM balloons were an instant ice-breaker between the children and the team. It became quickly apparent that kids are kids – they love a good time, they love toys, they love a little affection and they have lots of energy. What started out as community service became full-time play, subdued only at lunch which the IBMers hosted for the school – pilaf rice, beans, beef curry & vegetables.

Aremi administers a little TLC 

No less important were the ‘computer lessons’ for the staff and volunteers after lunch. Aenna had done a great job assembling a slide deck with pictures from all the countries the CSC team came from. Many of the staff seemed to have never had a hands-on session on a PC.

Aenna runs an impromptu computer class

It was a satisfying day for the CSC team – although our time was limited, it was well worth the effort for the reward of brightening up some children’s lives for a day.

Lee Yu Kit, Subteam 3