Operation Mercy’s partners in Kyrgyzstan call Tema* their future rapper. Tema likes to learn funny songs and talk to his friends. During a Christmas celebration, he made up words to a song that went like this: “Mayor, Mayor come to our school, and on your way please fix our road.” Like a real rapper seeking to impart a message through music, Tema sang the song because the road to his school, run by Operation Mercy’s partners, is very bumpy, and his father brings him every day by bicycle.
Tema has a very wide range of interests. His biggest hobby is animals, and he dreams of learning to walk and tame a tiger. Tema also has cerebral palsy. He could have studied in a mainstream school, but he had a lot of fears about the teacher scolding him if he made a mistake or couldn’t finish his work on time, about being teased by other children, and about not being welcomed or accepted. Therefore, he was studying at home with teachers from the local school visiting him before he started going to his special school. Through the children at risk project, Operation Mercy’s partners give hope to children with disabilities like Tema.
Now that Tema has been studying at this school for three years, his teachers feel he is ready to transition to mainstream school. His father had been very hesitant because of other children’s reactions, but recently, Tema’s parents agreed to pay part of the salary for a personal helper. Tema should start going to mainstream school very soon.
*Name changed.
