189 children, 12 volunteers and a showground
Today we had a great da
y at Tzaneen show with the children from Letaba special needs school. The night before we were told by the teachers that they would be taking all 189 children to the show which they would also like us to come too so we could help out as there were only 20 or so teachers with the children.
4 buses later the children arrived with lots of smiles, excitement and laughter. We expected that we would be helping them to move around the showground by pushing their wheelchairs and helping them to communicate using some of the sensory toys that we would find around the show on the different stalls that they had there.
The children that we knew appeared excited to see all of the volunteers as we did our best to push lots of wheelchairs and hold hands of alot of the children as we went around. At first we had decided that we must stay 
together and would try to keep all of the children we were looking after together, but it soon appeared that we were out of a job as the children seemed to want to push their friends and carry their own friends who could not walk on their own. We were worried at first that some of the children were missing out, and those that struggled to walk would need our attention. We compared this attitude to the UK, as because of many of our backgrounds with children, this is very unusual and different to how we would work and the guidelines and rules that we would work to.
As we started pushing some of the children in wheelchairs, we were often pushed away by one of the childs friends who then wanted to 
push the chair instead of us. We found this very interesting, and funny at the same time. We did look around us at one point and see some very happy and 
laughing children in the following mode of transport going past some of the show stalls. A child in a wheel chair had another friend on his lap, who then also had another smaller friend on his lap who was being held on by the young boy who was first sitting in a chair. On the bottom of the chair a much smaller boy sat on the foot rests. On the back of the chair a young boy was standing on the ledge at the back whilst a much older boy was pusing them along at top speed! We laughed and soon realised that these children were just incredibly independent, and again, it was us that were more worried about the children not coping with their disabilities than them or their teachers. This did upset us at times as we could see some of the children that may have been left out of things. This was difficult for us to accept and we struggled to hold 
ourselves back from trying to help these less able children who looked as though they had a very big struggle with trying to walk such a long way.
At lunch time, all of the children 
who had been going around the showground alone suddenly appeared and met at the end of the field and arranged themselves into groups of their classes. The teachers of the groups then gave them all food. Some of the teachers gave our volunteers a small amount of money to go and buy a child food if they had run out. After this we decided that during lunch we were causing more disruption than good so stepped back even though we wanted to help. We ate our lunch and returned to the show, not really understanding our role here.
After deciding to speak to one of the teachers to ask them what they would want us to do and that we felt like we should be helping more, the teachers giggled and told us that this is a normal day, that the 
children love this independance and do not like to be looked after. She said this was a great opportunity for them to have some 
freedom in this safe area with their friends, which we then understood.
Our role had now turned into making sure that all the children were happy and managing well around the show grounds, so we did not interfere with their independence too much. Again, with some of the less able bodied children, we found very interesting and amazing to observe this. We also became aware that by the children pushing their friends in their wheel chairs, that they found this could help them walk as they used this as an aid as if it were a walking frame!
We did help the children a bit by taking them to get some water with the teachers and then proceeded to meet them all in a great big tent where the showground had started to have a party with some dancing competitions. As we walked into the tent we saw most of the 189 children sat in the audience with a lot of other children from other schools. We heard a lot of cheering as we walked in, only to find 4 of the older children from Letaba up on the stage of the dancing competition. This was amazing and we could not beleive how wonderful they were at dancing and the 
moves that they came out with! They even had a hula hoop competition which was also great. All the children dancing and all of those in the audience were laughing so much and all dancing in their seats to the music. This was so great as we saw how much this day had benefited their moods and minds as well as giving them independence and good exercise!
It may not have been what we are used to in the UK, as far as our safty rules and special equipment to help children with disabilities, but it made us notice, that if in certain situations, that cannot be changed, the children will all adapt and make the most of the environment and capabilities that they have, as well as being so caring and helpful to all of their friends. It seemed to us that they felt relaxed and natural with each-other when they were helping one another, and that this was something they would always do for each-other. We then saw in this environment, when the children were all together, what a big family they all were.
Another day for us, at first a feeling that we were not needed, but then seeing that we were able to observe and help these children in a different way, and giving us a more wider understanding of their capabilities and culture in this school.
By roger mallins, August 11, 2010 @ 5:53 pm
You were all definately needed!! No question.