WELCOME TO THE SOLOMON ISLANDS RED CROSS HOMEPAGE

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Patience and commitment: keys to the Special Development Center volunteers

By Niniu Oligao
SIRC Dissemination & Information officer

One could imagine how she or he has dedicated his or her times and efforts to run around behind the kids, carrying a disappointed kid, teaching a deaf with sign language, and dealing with aggressive children; it is more challenging than caring for our own children. This is the work of Cathy and her team of dedicated volunteers.

As I watched the disable children at the SIRC Special School for disable children, I was inspired by the way the patient volunteers dealt with the children with different disabilities. Things were very difficult, some of them were violent towards others. The tiring volunteer teachers ensured they did not hurt the smaller ones.

It was fun to see some of them asked their teachers during class session when would be a dancing session for them. They loved dancing!

But the joy shown by children at the Special School indicated to me that the disable children also have a place in our respect to Human dignity. They need better education, love, respect, care, and better health in our society.

The peace of mind the committed volunteer teachers have at the end of each day is what matters. They have walked another extra mile with our disable children to explore the reality of life in education, love, respect, care, and better health. And their satisfaction prevails when each disable people has graduated and joined the nation’s workforce. He or she has proved that disability has no hold on him or her.