The Royal National Institute of Blind People Northern Ireland, (RNIB NI) are expanding their overseas work and are currently engaged in an Integrated Education Project in the Gambia, funded by the Department for International Development (DFID).
In partnership with the Gambian Organisation of the Visually Impaired (GOVI), and Children in Crossfire, RNIB NI has equipped a Resource Centre at a school for children with sight loss, with computer technology and assistive speech and magnification software.
This facility will improve the education of blind and partially sighted children in the Gambia for years to come.
As a follow up to the installation of the equipment, RNIB NI have been hosting Ebrima Trawally, project manager from GOVI for one week of intense training in the various technologies now available to GOVI and the school they run.
Ebrima said "this has been a wonderful experience for me and I thank the RNIB for providing the equipment for our school and for training me. I look forward to returning home and sharing my knowledge with the teachers and pupils so they can fully benefit from the modern technology to help them learn."
5 Star Disability Sports Challenge
Another aspect of the work taking place in Gambia is the involvement of Disability Sports Northern Ireland (DSNI) and in particular, their '5 Star Disability Sports Challenge' project.
The Disability Sport NI 5 Star Challenge project, which was funded by the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure, was successfully delivered to 26,000 children in Northern Ireland in the build up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The aim of the project was to contribute to the legacy of the London 2012 Paralympic Games by increasing children's awareness and understanding of disability sport and to inspire more disabled and non disabled children to become active.
It was granted the prestigious Inspire Mark, the badge of the London 2012 Inspire programme which recognises exceptional and innovative projects emanating from the 2012 Games.
DSNI previously piloted the '5 Star' project in Jordan and now, in partnership with RNIB NI, they have developed '5 Star Africa' which will see the project delivered in Africa for the first time.
As part of the initiative, participating children in Gambia will be given the opportunity to try a range of Paralympic sports such as Boccia, Goalball, blind cricket, blind football and Wheelchair basketball.
Kevin O'Neill DSNI Director said, "the '5 Star' project has been a fantastic success in Northern Ireland, successfully using the power of sport to increase awareness of disability sport and to challenge negative attitudes about people with disabilities in society. We are delighted to see the project being piloted in Africa and are convinced that ultimately the project can play an important part in changing attitudes to disability."
VIVID Programme
A final aspect of the project is 'Visually Impaired Volunteers in International Development', VIVID.
The programme gives young visually impaired people from NI, the opportunity to volunteer overseas and is currently being piloted in the Gambia with Feargal Campbell and David Telford from Belfast, currently on placement with GOVI.
The week of 22 October, sees Barry Macaulay RNIB NI, Johnny McCarthy DSNI, accompany Ebrima Trawally back to the Gambia to link up with Feargal and David to deliver the '5 Star Africa' sports sessions.
Barry Macaulay RNIB NI Senior Manager commented,
"It is wonderful to be able to offer this opportunity to our blind and partially sighted young people. Not only will they have a fantastic experience delivering sports sessions to children in the Gambia but it will be great for their own personal development, building their CV's and ultimately increasing their employability."