From Isolation to Inclusion: The Inspiring Journey of Nakiwendo Majorine

Before CHIN: A Life of Uncertainty

Nakiwendo Majorine, an energetic and joyful eight-year-old girl, is the middle of three siblings. Born with Down Syndrome, her early years were filled with uncertainty. Down Syndrome, a genetic condition that affects brain and body development, made communication and social interaction difficult for Majorine, and her family didn’t know how to support her.

Figure 1: SNE Teacher teaching Majorine basic education at Winefried Tyrell Special Needs Centre of SSHJM-CHIN.

For most of her early life, Majorine was isolated. Her parents, overwhelmed by the challenges of raising a child with special needs and unaware of the resources available, decided to leave her in the care of her grandmother when she was just two years old. "We were scared and didn’t know how to help her," her mother recalls. Without access to early childhood education or interaction with other children, Majorine’s world was small, and her future seemed limited.

This is where CHIN came in.

For 20 years, the Sisters  of the sacred hearts of Jesus and Mary- Children In Need organization has worked to fulfill a bold commitment to the people of Mukono District, Central Uganda by providing advancing development that balances economic, social and environmental priorities targeting the most vulnerable in interventions like inclusive education, inclusive health, sustainable livelihoods, climate and environmental protection and human rights.

Through our project partners (Arms Around Africa-AAA) , Majorine and her family were approached with information of the Inclusive Early Childhood Education project being implemented at SSHJM - Children In Need (CHIN) Centre in her near community. Following conversations with the project staff, Majorine’s grandmother agreed to enrol her in the center.

Once at the CHIN centre, Majorine was assessed thoroughly by the Community Based Rehabilitation Team and the results showed that she was diagonized with Down Syndrome. The Occupational Therapist recommended her for inclusive education (special needs education).

SNE Teachers teaching special needs children at Winefried Tyrell Special Needs Centre of SSHJM-CHIN.

Her first day in Special Needs Education Class.

She reacted positively to the environment and quickly began to interact more freely with other children and started to make friends. Her grandmother and the partner organzation (AAA) behind Majorine’s rise to education were also informed of financial support they were entitled to and were able to source funds and equipment to help her attend school.

Majorine’s Success , Progress  and Challenges.

On the first day, Majorine could recite counting up to 10. Today, She can do it up to 100 in straight or reverse order without any discomfort. She has been trained to manage how to even purchase things from the shop by her Special needs teachers which she can comfortably do up to UGx 1,000.

It was realized that if sustained efforts are put in self help skills like combing hair, brushing teeth, bathing, sharing with other and activities of daily living  like washing utensils & clothes, sweeping and mopping she can become a change-maker.

She manages every class activities without much hassle. She even helps her fellow learners in climbing up or down from the organization vans. Describing her mind as a proverbial fresh slate, Ms. Nakanobe Iris her class teacher says “Whatever we tell her, she just starts following that.”

According to her special needs education teacher, once she is comfortable with anyone she would narrate even an entire story. Otherwise, she speaks in a limited manner. “ever since Majorine joined the school, she transforms every day. She loves everyone, so passionate about doing class work and her English has greatly improved”, says Ms Nakanobe Iris.

Majorine’s Overall Personality and Steady Improvement

In the words of Majorine’s grandmother, “Today, if I give her any list to buy things from the nearby shop, she can manage it perfectly without anyone's assistance. However, she finds it hard to prepare a shopping list of  items”.

Majorine’s parents attitude to their daughter’s disability has changed entirely. Her father is now a member of a local Parent Support Group aims at improving the community awareness and understanding of children’s rights and needs.