Help Kenyan children with disabilities into school

Hands Around the World have been partnering with St Lucy’s Primary and Secondary Schools for the Blind, in Igoji, Meru County, Kenya for the past year. The schools provide safe havens for 309 visually impaired students and are more than just learning spaces - they strive to create an environment that empowers, nurtures, and inspires the students, not just academically but emotionally and socially.

During the summer, the students at both schools took part in a National Sports Event and a Music Festival. Music and sport are key component in the Kenyan Competency Based Curriculum as part of the Creative Arts and Sports learning area, and St Lucy’s Schools ensure these are activities that all children engage in, despite their disability.

The 2025 Kenya Schools National Ball Games were held in Mumias, Kakamega County and both learners and staff from St Lucy’s Schools expressed great joy at being able to participate. The learners showed high levels of commitment and determination in all of their matches, with impressive performances. This effort paid off, with some teams successfully qualifying for the East Africa Ball Games (FEASA).

Sport for the visually impaired is particularly important as it fosters not only physical health, but mental well-being, and social inclusion, building confidence. Participating in sports and sports events has helped the students at St Lucy’s create a sense of community and team spirit.

St Lucy’s Schools also participated in the prestigious 97^th edition of the Kenya Music Festival 2025. This national event brought together schools from across the country to showcase excellence in music, poetry, and performance. St Lucy’s Schools are committed to ensuring all students appreciate the joy of music and music plays a significant role in their daily learning. At the festival, the schools entered several categories, guided by their Principal and Music Patron, Sr. Judith, who composed music for two of the winning items.

The learners’ hard work, discipline, and creativity, resulted in remarkable success. The schools won two trophies, securing 1^st place in both categories. Their achievement extended beyond the festival’s competitive stage, with 25 learners (12 boys and 13 girls) being selected to perform at the National Gala Concert where they were also awarded another trophy. This gala was attended by the Deputy President of Kenya.

The performances were highly acclaimed, with the learners’ angelic voices and flawless execution leaving a lasting impression on the audience.

St Lucy’s Schools believe that music plays a central role for their students. It supports cognitive, physical, and emotional development, fosters connection, boosts confidence and builds self-esteem. It also provides students with a unique opportunity for communication, emotional expression and creativity, especially important for learners who experience social isolation.

Furthermore, a grant from a donor and your support helped St Lucy’s Schools buy new musical instruments to further strengthen their music department. The schools have purchased a new keyboard, guitars, drums and percussion instruments, as well as a stereo. Many of the students already show natural musical talent and with more instruments, teachers can nurture this potential more widely, ensuring every child, regardless of ability, will have the opportunity to participate. Students will have more opportunities to showcase their talents in competitions and public performances, celebrating their abilities on a broader stage and reducing stigma.

Thank you for supporting this project and making the lives of these children brighter!

Visually impaired children in Kenyan schools face numerous challenges, including limited access to specialised materials and equipment and a lack of inclusive education practices. Despite this, St Lucy’s Primary and Secondary Schools for the visually impaired in Igoji, Meru County, Kenya, are schools striving to create an environment that empowers, nurtures, and inspires. However, the schools lacked access to appropriate IT equipment to facilitate an effective learning environment. The lack of this equipment prevented students from following the Kenyan Competency Based Curriculum effectively, negatively impacting their learning and preventing them from gaining the necessary qualifications and skills needed to succeed as independent adults.

To address these challenges, Hand Around the World supported St Lucy’s Primary and Secondary Schools for the visually impaired with the provision of 60 refurbished laptops, 60 headsets and 60 laptop bags, enabling students to access information on an equal footing with their sighted counterparts.

The laptops, headphones and bags were purchased in Nairobi and transported to the schools and installed by the school technician. The schools already have access to a free screen reader programme and the provision of laptops supported the implementation of the Non-Visual Desktop Access (NDVA) software, enabling the visually impaired learners to navigate, study, and interact with the computers effectively. Furthermore, equipping the laptops with assistive software has reduced the need for costly braille and printed books.

The students are now able to study independently and will develop critical typing and ICT skills, essential for their academic and vocational success. This will also enhance their independence and confidence, creating a greater sense of autonomy, whilst fostering an inclusive learning environment within the schools. The provision of laptops and headphones has also provided a distraction-free learning environment and students are able to undertake individual research and study sessions.

The delivery and implementation of this project marks a significant milestone in promoting inclusive education at St Lucy’s Primary and Secondary Schools. The equipment has already begun transforming how learners with visual disabilities access educational content and participate in learning.

This initiative has made a huge difference to these students lives - thank you for your support!