LG Electronics has set on an initiative to support children with disability and from under-privileged communities access education in a conducive and safe learning environment. This is courtesy of a project supported by LG Electronics in partnership with non-profit Habitat for Humanity Kenya (HFH Kenya).
The initiative aims to improve learning infrastructure, water, sanitation and hygiene for 225 hearing-impaired children at the Machakos School for the Deaf and 400 Early Childhood Development (ECD) learners at Kyumbi Primary School.
Among projects underway for the learning institutions is the construction of a library for Machakos school, latrines, renovation of bathrooms and installation of a borehole water plumbing system. This will help improve learning outcomes for hearing-impaired children besides promoting healthy living by providing access to clean and safe water.
“As a responsible business, we believe in increasing social value by investing in under-privileged communities. This project is also important to us since it is aligned with the international sustainable development goal number 4 on promoting inclusive and equitable education,” Sa Nyoung Kim LG Electronics Managing Director for East and Central Africa, Kenya.
Machakos School for the Deaf is the only school in the county catering for children with hearing impairment. It was established in 1986 by the Kenya Society for Deaf Children with the assistance of SHIF from Sweden as a mixed boarding school.
In December, LG in collaboration with HFH Kenya embarked on the construction of two new ECD classrooms, a kitchen block and latrines at Kyumbi Primary School in Mavoko Constituency. The school’s facilities were over-stretched by the growing student population.
Some classrooms were dilapidated and lacked windows. Sanitation facilities were inadequate but will now be increased to comply with the Ministry of Education ratio of 1:25, but more importantly, ensure privacy especially for girls. The school will also benefit from a new kitchen to support its feeding program.
The Kenya Basic Education Act (2013) recommends that the school environment and facilities should accommodate the various categories of learners with special needs. This is however a challenge due to inadequate infrastructure. Many students with disabilities in Kenya are not enrolled in school, a violation of their rights.
