Caroline Katunge Mimy, a retired teacher from Newar NJ in the United States of America, recently donated 2 laptops, 3 tape recorders, walking canes, magnifiers, glasses, batteries, drums and sachets of water to the Gambia Organisation of the Visually Impaired School for the Blind.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony held at the school grounds, Madam Katunge, who had been visiting The Gambia since 1995, said the two laptops where given to her by her friends while the canes and magnifiers were given to her by the director of New Jersey School for the Blind in USA.
Madam Katunge, also a traditional African dancer who came with her son, Foluso A. Mimy, a professional musician and a teacher, added that when she first visited the school to give gifts to students she left with tears asking herself what she could do for the school.
She revealed that apart from the GOVI project, she was also sponsoring Gambian girls to senior secondary school and college.
He pointed out that when she first visited the school, she saw students holding each other with someone leading them to cross the road and this inspired her to bring more walking canes for them.
The recorders would also help student’s record lessons when teachers are teaching and they would later listen to it and do their work, she said.
Ali Sallah, head teacher of GOVI School for the blind, said Madam Katunge had been supporting the school since she visited them four years ago.
“Madam Katunge sees the students as are kids,” Mr Sallah said, while thanking her for her support towards the school.
He described the donated materials as important to blind education, saying that without them it would be difficult for teachers to teach as expected or for students to learn as expected.
He encouraged others to emulate Madam Katunge in supporting blind education as it is expensive to maintain.
Mariama Drammeh, a teacher at GOVI School for the blind, expressed delight at the gesture, saying they would put the materials into good use.
