Straight talk for the blind
Apr 06, 2010
IN an effort to take reproductive health information to visually impaired children in schools, Straight Talk Foundation has introduced a special product branded Young Talk and Straight Talk in Braille.
By Jeff Lule
IN an effort to take reproductive health information to visually impaired children in schools, Straight Talk Foundation has introduced a special product branded Young Talk and Straight Talk in Braille.
The publication is designed in braille material, which the blind can read through touch. The editorial manager, Martha Akello Otim, says the product tackles different aspects of reproductive health.
“We think the publication will be helpful to this special group of people. Many of the visually impaired students have been taken advantage of. Through that information, we can teach them how to protect themselves and how to detect those who intend to harm them,†Akello says.
Issues addressed in the publication include HIV/AIDS prevention, body changes, virginity, sexual abuse and how to detect or recognise danger.“Through this publication, visually impaired students and pupils will be able to access HIV/AIDS and sexuality ICT materials like other normal children.
“We want to help them make informed decisions before getting into trouble. This product targets mainly school-going children, but we also have a special programme for those at home,†Akello says.
Straight Talk has also trained teachers in braille skills. “We encouraged the teachers to go through the publication with their students and pupils in order to get the message clearly,†she says.
The Straight Talk special needs coordinator, Quinta Apio Latigo, says the publication will also promote children’s rights and protection.
“Many of these children are molested by fellow students, teachers and pupils. Through our publications, we teach them their how to protect themselves and reaching out for help in case of a problem,†Apio says.
She says they have also trained 60 peer educators and formed disability awareness centres on HIV/AIDS.So far, Apio says, 150 copies of Young Talk have been produced and distributed to 29 primary schools for the visually impaired and 30 partner organisations.
“We target children between 10 to 19 years. Many visually impaired pupils start school late and some are older than that, which makes it necessary to reach out to them,†she says.
The published material was collected through interviews with visually impaired children in Salama School for the Blind and Sir Apollo Kaggwa Secondary School in Mukono. During interviews, students and pupils asked questions on HIV/AIDS, body changes like menstruation and wet dreams, relationships and sexual abuse. The publication will bridge the reproductive health information gap among visually impaired young people.
The Ministry of Health estimates that 240,000 Ugandans, including children, are totally blind, while one million are partially blind.
“This isolates them from accessing HIV and sexuality programmes designed for the general public. We hope this programme will address the unique reproductive health needs of these children and help them make informed decisions,†Apio says.
She says since the programme was introduced, there has been a reduction in the number of school drop-outs and early pregnancies among the disabled and visually impaired children.
The programme, which started in November last year, operates in Kitgum, Gulu, Kisoro and Kampala districts due to limited funding. The project is funded by CORDAID and the Straight Talk Foundation.
IN an effort to take reproductive health information to visually impaired children in schools, Straight Talk Foundation has introduced a special product branded Young Talk and Straight Talk in Braille.
The publication is designed in braille material, which the blind can read through touch. The editorial manager, Martha Akello Otim, says the product tackles different aspects of reproductive health.
“We think the publication will be helpful to this special group of people. Many of the visually impaired students have been taken advantage of. Through that information, we can teach them how to protect themselves and how to detect those who intend to harm them,†Akello says.
Issues addressed in the publication include HIV/AIDS prevention, body changes, virginity, sexual abuse and how to detect or recognise danger.“Through this publication, visually impaired students and pupils will be able to access HIV/AIDS and sexuality ICT materials like other normal children.
“We want to help them make informed decisions before getting into trouble. This product targets mainly school-going children, but we also have a special programme for those at home,†Akello says.
Straight Talk has also trained teachers in braille skills. “We encouraged the teachers to go through the publication with their students and pupils in order to get the message clearly,†she says.
The Straight Talk special needs coordinator, Quinta Apio Latigo, says the publication will also promote children’s rights and protection.
“Many of these children are molested by fellow students, teachers and pupils. Through our publications, we teach them their how to protect themselves and reaching out for help in case of a problem,†Apio says.
She says they have also trained 60 peer educators and formed disability awareness centres on HIV/AIDS.So far, Apio says, 150 copies of Young Talk have been produced and distributed to 29 primary schools for the visually impaired and 30 partner organisations.
“We target children between 10 to 19 years. Many visually impaired pupils start school late and some are older than that, which makes it necessary to reach out to them,†she says.
The published material was collected through interviews with visually impaired children in Salama School for the Blind and Sir Apollo Kaggwa Secondary School in Mukono. During interviews, students and pupils asked questions on HIV/AIDS, body changes like menstruation and wet dreams, relationships and sexual abuse. The publication will bridge the reproductive health information gap among visually impaired young people.
The Ministry of Health estimates that 240,000 Ugandans, including children, are totally blind, while one million are partially blind.
“This isolates them from accessing HIV and sexuality programmes designed for the general public. We hope this programme will address the unique reproductive health needs of these children and help them make informed decisions,†Apio says.
She says since the programme was introduced, there has been a reduction in the number of school drop-outs and early pregnancies among the disabled and visually impaired children.
The programme, which started in November last year, operates in Kitgum, Gulu, Kisoro and Kampala districts due to limited funding. The project is funded by CORDAID and the Straight Talk Foundation.