Stories of Change - Rama

Afsana is a 3-year-old girl who has been blind since birth. She hails from a low-income family because her father has neurological issues which prevent him from earning a living. Her mother supports the family by breaking glass for recycling but cannot afford the medical treatment Afsana needs.

Afsana experienced fear during her initial visit to the crèche because she preferred to stay close to her mother in their residential area. The new environment proved difficult for her to adapt to because she became easily disturbed by any sound including the voices of other children during religious activities and classroom activities.

The crèche teachers created a secure environment which would enable Afsana to experience love through their continuous efforts. She developed self-assurance through time while becoming more confident each day. The teachers showed her educational materials which used tactile methods to teach her through joyful hands-on activities. With the support of special educators, they also created customised learning tools to help her engage fully in class.

Afsana achieved outstanding development throughout the previous six months. She has learned to recognize letters and numbers by touch and she actively joins classroom activities with happiness.

Afsana demonstrates through her life experience that every child has the ability to learn and form friendships when teachers provide patient support and create an inclusive learning environment.

Rama was enrolled in the Cathy O’Shaughnessy Crèche in 2018. The child encountered learning challenges when he started and he found it hard to connect with his classmates. His speech development was delayed for his age, which made it harder for him to communicate and participate in group activities.

The crèche teachers provided Rama with complete support through their patient approach and their interactive teaching methods which were suitable for children. He started regular activities while his speech and self-assurance demonstrated major progress.

Rama started his education at a local government school when he turned five years old during 2021. He now attends school regularly and is doing especially well in Bengali. The school sports day competition resulted in his third place finish which brought pride to Rama and his entire teaching staff.

Rama plans to achieve his dream of becoming a police officer. His path serves as a wonderful demonstration of how someone can succeed through proper backing and motivational support and available chances.

We deeply thank all donors who backed our mission through their donations which allowed us to share Rama's story.