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| 2011 Beneficiary |
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Gerald Njobvu Gerald wants to be a teacher more than anything but he is blind and his family are too poor to help him attend college. At PL we believe that determination counts for a lot and Gerald has plenty of that. He expects no sympathy or special help but just wants a chance of attending teacher training college. Project Luangwa believes he deserves that chance.
Gerald's father died when he was 3 years old and he, and his 7 brothers and sisters have been brought up by his mother and step-father. When Gerald was a child he became ill with measles and the drugs that were administered affected his eyes. He tells me that he went to hospital to have an operation on one eye but when he awoke after the surgery he discovered that the surgeons had removed both his eyes.
Gerald attended the Magwero School for the Blind in Chipata, about 120 km from Mfuwe. He was supported at this time by an elder brother but he died 2 years ago. For many disabled children in South Luangwa Magwero is their only hope of getting an education; it is divided into two sections, one for the blind and the other for the deaf. Magwero already has four blind teachers and this is where Gerald hopes to teach once he has completed college.
The school teaches to grade 12 level and Gerald wants to specialise at Secondary level in History and Special Needs (teaching the blind).
When interviewing applicants for sponsorship to attend a teacher training college my last question is always to myself. 'Would I like my children to be taught by this person?'
With Gerald I had no hesitation but to answer, 'Yes'. He is a kind and personable young man and has an empathy with people that is not often seen. And he is very determined to succeed.
Gerald is one of just four blind students country-wide to be accepted at a special section for blind students at ones of Zambia's top universities for a 3 year course which starts in June 2012. To help him will cost in the region of $3000 per year but this figure has yet to be confirmed.
Gerald is computer literate and has used a program called Jobs Access With Speech (JAWS). We would like to be able to provide him with a laptop for college use.
There are two ways to help Gerald; you can sponsor him for the three years of his course at around $4000 per year by donating annually or contribute to his education by donating through his own page on Just Giving.
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Gerald dictated a letter to a friend so that he could tell Project Luangwa about himself. He apologises if there are any spelling mistakes as his friend was unable to continue education beyond grade 9.
Click on the letter to read.
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