Camp Life
Camp Life
Welcome to Camp Life. What is it? Where is it? It’s simple: Camp Life is whatever our young blind students are doing, wherever they are. It’s also us finding new financial and material resources, making new connections and expanding our reach, or just doing our best to stay close to our students and support them however we can. For students at Korara Special School, that means practicing the adaptive sports skills they learned alongside us: running; discus throwing; javelin toss; jumping; goal ball; and more running.
Imagine how it feels: children who have been blind from birth and have never seen anyone run and never thought they could do so themselves suddenly find themselves confidently in full stride, guided safely by a mentor for the first time they realize that they can test their own ability and find their own grace. They can leave behind the feelings of being left out – feelings that have been such a hard part of their lives for so long. Imagine too that they are doing so knowing that they can count on nutritious meals, comfortable clothes and proper learning materials.
Actually, you don’t have to imagine it – listen to Duncan and Jacqueline, two Korara students, as they talk with teacher James Ogembo about what Camp Possibilities International means to them. James himself spoke to us about the difference that he has seen at Korara since our work began there.
What we think you’ll learn from their thoughts is that just a small intervention can make a huge difference in the lives of these young people. However good we feel about what we are doing for our CPI children, we know that they feel even better. And we are just getting started.
The Students’ and Teacher’s perspective
Duncan’s Camp Experience
The following is an interview between James Ogembo, a teacher, and Duncan, a student.
James Ogembo: Yes, hello.
Duncan: Hello.
James Ogembo: What’s your name?
Duncan: My name’s Duncan.
James Ogembo: Duncan, welcome. You are in which school?
Duncan: I’m in Korara Primary Special School for the Visually Impaired.
James Ogembo: Okay. That’s good. So, in your school have you ever had an organization called Camp Possibilities International helping you there?
Duncan: Yea, Camp Possibilities have been playing an important role in our school. I have heard it.
James Ogembo: Okay, so what are some of the things that Camp Possibilities have done to your school?
Duncan: They have helped in sponsoring some learners who are not able to pay their school fees that they can study and achieve their targets.
James Ogembo: Okay.
Duncan: Yea.
James Ogembo: Is there something else?
Duncan: Yea.
James Ogembo: Uh-huh.
Duncan: They have sponsored our school in playing [both] regional and national games, especially my favorite game goal ball.
James Ogembo: Okay, wow. That’s good.
Duncan: Yea.
James Ogembo: Anything else?
Duncan: I just thank them and may the God bless them.
James Ogembo: Okay.
Jacqueline’s Camp Experience
The following is an interview between James Ogembo, a teacher, and Jacqueline, a student.
James Ogembo: Yes, hello.
Jacqueline: Hello.
James Ogembo: What’s your name?
Jacqueline: My name is Jacqueline.
James Ogembo: Jacqueline, you’re from which school?
Jacqueline: Korara Special Primary School.
James Ogembo: Korara, oh wow. That’s great. So, Korara. In Korara, have you ever had one organization called Camp Possibilities International?
Jacqueline: Yes, I have, yes.
James Ogembo: Oh, good. Good, good. good. So, what has it done to your school that really makes you happy?
Jacqueline: They help out – they help us to sponsor some learners.
James Ogembo: Okay.
Jacqueline: and that they have assist us with special diets.
James Ogembo: Okay.
Jacqueline: and they help – they help us with playing equipment.
James Ogembo: Wow, wow. That’s good. Do they also help in curricular things?
Jacqueline: Yes.
James Ogembo: Uh-huh. What have they done?
Jacqueline: They … they … they help us to buy some clothes.
James Ogembo: Okay, okay. Thank you, thank you, Jacqueline.
James Ogembo’s Camp Experience
James Ogembo, a classroom teacher and sports coach shares his camp experience.
“It has been so great working with CPI. Most of the assistance we get through you, like the assistive devices, is crucial to learning and helps us as teachers. You have really helped our runners to go to greater heights, to feel what they can do despite the challenges they have.
They get to know themselves and understand themselves and that they can be somebody in society and in the community if they are given the opportunity.
For myself, actually as a beneficiary and a person who is living with a disability, CPI has also made me able to reach greater heights with curricular and with activities outside the classroom like sports.
The school is getting popular for the recent celebration days and there is improving number of enrollments because of assistance we get from your organization. Secondly, definitely the learners can be comfortable in their learning and when they are engaging and interacting well with each other.”
Camp Life Photo Gallery
