Trainings in Mumias

The highlight of my week in Mumias was the series of communication trainings I did with Rachel and David. The first was set aside for teachers from surrounding communities, and focused on the use of pictures and picture boards for children with communication difficulties to use.

Two days later came a session aimed at parents of special needs children. We covered all different types of communication and shared strategies for incorporating language into their children's daily routines.

The third training, for community health workers, was the most satisfying - and not just because of the rapport David and I were able to establish with the participants - who, by the way, are all volunteers. The focus was on techniques for teaching parents how to infuse language enrichment into multiple daily activities with their children.  Group members spoke at length about the poverty in their districts, and we were able to adapt the discussions to take that into account. Most of them really "got" the message, appreciated the information, and seemed confident that they would use it. Their enthusiasm was truly palpable.

The community health workers learned so much from each other
that it seemed only fitting that they recognize each other and
pass out their certificates for the day's training.

I hope to take part in more of this kind of training in the future. The information is relevant to all parents, not just parents of children with special needs; special materials, toys or books aren't necessary for family success; there is such a wealth of knowledge the outreach workers have to share; and, getting this information out through community members the families already trust has a much greater impact than having parents hear it from outside "experts."