Habel Ouma and Eunice Rapando, co-founders of the Sunrise School for autistic learners in Kenya, recently presented to the Springfield Rotary Club, sharing the school’s mission to expand educational opportunities and improve the lives of autistic children and their families.
The founders were joined by Rotary Past District Governor Bill Stevens of Bellows Falls and Wanda Salter, a speech pathologist who has volunteered at the Sunrise School.
The school was established to address the educational needs of autistic children in Kenya, where access to specialized instruction and support services can be limited. Its objectives, as outlined by Ouma, are to provide educational opportunities and hope to autistic children, make educational inclusion possible for more learners, and ease the challenges faced by their families and caregivers.
During the presentation, Rapando described several challenges facing the school, including limited classroom and administrative space and a spring-fed water system that runs dry for a couple of months each year. To address these needs, Salter presented the Sunrise School Memorial Project, a $200,000 fundraising effort to improve the school’s facilities and provide a more reliable water supply. Donations can be made at thesunriseschool.org by designating contributions to the “Playground/Admin Project.”
The presentation highlighted how international partnerships and community support can help expand educational opportunities and improve the lives of autistic children and their families.
The Springfield Rotary Club meets Tuesdays at noon at the SAPCC Workforce Development & Training Center. Visitors and prospective members are welcome. For more information, visit springfieldvtrotary.org.
Photo (l-r): Habel Ouma and Eunice Rapando, co-founders of the Sunrise School for autistic learners in Kenya, recently presented to the Springfield Rotary Club, sharing the school’s mission to expand educational opportunities and improve the lives of autistic children and their families.
