Planting a seed

By Sr. Gwen Legault
May/June 2013

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The seed I planted in Vandeikya, Nigeria, 39 years ago continues to grow. St. Francis School for the Deaf/ Blind began in a grass-roofed roundhouse, was moved to a three-room building, and finally to a permanent site outside Vandeikya.

Recent good news brought great joy and gratitude to all of us here in Toronto. The occasion was the blessing and commissioning of the school’s new classroom block by the auxiliary Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, Most Reverend William Avenya. I remember the day of young Fr. William’s ordination when I brought some of the deaf children to attend the ceremony. And now he continues to bless and support the school so generously.

I want to quote the school’s principal, Sr. Eucharia Ugwu, in her speech at the commissioning:

Sr. Eucharia Ugwu, principal of the St. Francis School for the Deaf and Blind with the students who danced during the blessing and opening of their new classroom block. October 2012, Vandeikya, Nigeria.,

“Since its inception in 1975, the objective of the school has been to provide the children with basic education for independent living. The arrangements for boarding for the students became a necessity because of the great distance from Vandeikya for many of the children. Most of them come from poor families and some are orphans and all are vulnerable. Because of this, and in order to make education available to all physically challenged children, the diocese and my community, the Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus, have continued to run the school on a charity basis. Thus up until now, the students have not been paying school fees. But this policy has not been without great challenges.

Providing feeding and maintenance of the children on a daily basis has been very difficult. Physical structures are lacking, but the population is steadily on the increase as more parents become aware of the need to educate their deaf and blind children. In view of this, the diocese can no longer continue to offer the children free education without further government aid, especially for staff salaries...

It is really our hope to see the motto Sr. Gwen left for this school, “Equal Opportunity for All,” realized in Benue State and beyond, where our graduates can apply for jobs and their competence be tested based on what they can do; where nobody throws a 20 naira bill at them instead of helping them to live a decent life through honest work. And how can we give them the opportunity if we don’t receive the necessary support?

Students Senenge, Winnifred, and Mimidoo dancing for the guests. The school is located in Tivland and the black and white striped cloth worn by the dancers is the traditional cloth of the Tiv people.

That is why we are here today to thank the members of a children’s organization in Germany who sacrificed to help sponsor this new building you see before you. They give us great cause for this celebration of a dream come true.

It is our hope that with your group and individual support, we will continue to nurture and sustain these children both academically and morally, building on the foundation laid by our predecessors...

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