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James's story

James grew up in the Oriang area of Western Kenya. His experiences show the remarkable impact School 4 All is having on the lives of disabled children and whole communities. People are joining forces to create a truly positive change.

James's story could have been very different had it not been for School 4 All. You see, James has epilepsy...

The traditional belief in Kenya is that epilepsy is contagious, or a curse. So you would normally expect Kenyan children to fear and run away from someone having an epileptic seizure.

But when James has an epileptic seizure at school, the children rally round to help him. They set about clearing the ground around him of sharp and dangerous objects and stay close to him until the seizure stops.

Child to Child ActivitiesThis dramatic change in attitudes is due to the ‘Child to Child’ programme that Leonard Cheshire Disability started at James's school, which has given the children a better understanding of disability.

Through art, song, dance and drama performances, the children learn about different disability issues. Traditional myths and misconceptions are replaced with knowledge. The children learn about the causes of disability, gain insights into what it is like to live with a disability and what practical help they can give.

All of this means that children like James, who would have been stigmatised and excluded from school just a few years ago, are now accepted, supported, and given the chance to learn.

Click here to read more about how we work with local communities to change the reality for disabled children