[blindkid] Fwd: need help

Carol Castellano carol_castellano at verizon.net
Sun Feb 17 20:21:25 UTC 2013


Hi Everyone,
Below is information from a group that brings 
needed supplies to Sierra Leone for the benefit 
of blind children there.  If you would like to 
help, please contact Emilia or the organization directly.
Carol

Carol Castellano
President, Parents of Blind Children-NJ
Director of Programs
National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
973-377-0976
carol_castellano at verizon.net
www.blindchildren.org
www.nfb.org/parents-and-teachers


>>At 09:09 PM 1/12/2013, you wrote:
>>
>>>My name is Emilia Wawszczyk, I am a nurse 
>>>volunteer for a nonprofit organization based 
>>>out of New Jersey.  The organization that I 
>>>volunteer for ISHI, International Surgical 
>>>health Initiative, 
>>><http://www.ISHIglobal.org/>www.ISHIglobal.org, 
>>>  has asked me to work on a project in 
>>>organizing and obtaining supplies for 
>>>approximately 85 children ages 3-20 that 
>>>reside in the village of Kabala, Sierra Leone 
>>>where we have chosen to go back multiple times 
>>>now for surgical missions.  Besides performing 
>>>surgeries on people who cannot afford such 
>>>surgeries, we believe that it is important for 
>>>us to also contribute to the community in 
>>>other ways.  One of those ways is by helping these children who are blind.
>>>
>>>The Kabala School for the Blind is more than 
>>>just a school. It is home to 85 blind and 
>>>visually handicapped children abandoned by 
>>>their families. Currently there are about 50 
>>>boys and 35 girls. The younger children (3+) 
>>>are taught on site. The older children between 
>>>15-20 years of age (33 boys and 25 girls) walk 
>>>about 3 miles to school each day. There are 17 
>>>staff members, sighted and blind that teach and help out the students.
>>>
>>>The things they need are so basic that we were 
>>>stunned by their needs.  They didn’t have 
>>>blankets that they could cover themselves with 
>>>while they sleep, and here I came home from 
>>>this mission and found 8 blankets in my house 
>>>for one person, it just made me very ashamed 
>>>of how wasteful and unnecessary the things we accumulate really are for us.
>>>
>>>I was put In charge of the project for the 
>>>blind to obtain donations and supplies of 
>>>whatever people could give.  We are mainly 
>>>looking for things that may make these 
>>>children more independent: walking 
>>>sticks.  And educational supplies: books on CD 
>>>and tape, tape recorders, digital recorders, 
>>>rechargeable batteries, board games, and 
>>>outdoor play toys for people who are blind.
>>>
>>>Seeing the joy in their faces when we 
>>>delivered the supplies to them in November, 
>>>cannot be put into words.  The passion that 
>>>these children have in their hearts for 
>>>education and for life is inspiring, despite 
>>>what little material things they have.  They are truly beautiful souls.
>>>
>>>If there is any way that you may be able to 
>>>help us, we will be forever grateful.  Please 
>>>know that they truly deserve this
I am looking 
>>>obviously for monetary donations, supplies, 
>>>but also for prayers and ideas, and people to 
>>>friend us on facebook, and recognize that 
>>>there is a great need out there in the not so 
>>>far away place
.and each of us can make a contribution and a difference.
>>>
>>>With Gratitude, Emilia Wawszczyk: ISHI Volunteer
>>>



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