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SCHOOLS FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
KAMPALA SCHOOL FOR THE PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED
(SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS)
PROJECT CODE: UPA/MLT/08
Background Kampala School for the physically handicapped (KSPH) is a primary school
catering for the educational needs of the disabled children in Uganda. Started
in 1968 by a few parents of cerebral palsied children, the school aims at
educating, rehabilitating and equipping physically handicapped children for

self- reliance and development. It follows the national syllabus including co-
curricular activities like sports, music, dance and drama, spiritual fellowship

and education tours.
It also offers vocational subjects like tailoring, screen printing, craft, tie and
dye and computer training to all the children that can not continue with
further education.
The school has an enrollment of 100 pupils with physical disabilities between
the ages of 6 – 18. They include those with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy,
spinal bifida and polio amongst others.
Therefore the school specifically provides for children with special needs.
The project is located on plot 63A, Balintuma Road, Mengo (opposite the
Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau) just 15 -25 minutes drive from Kampala
city and 30 – 45 minutes from UPA guesthouse in Nansana.
It has a teaching staff of 13 teachers, 5 of whom are trained in special needs
education with 2 of them disabled old students of the same school.

Aim To educate, rehabilitate and equip physically handicapped children with skills

for self- reliance and development.

Activities  Teaching children

 Care and assisting children in and outside classrooms
 Training children in vocational subjects, games and sports and music,
dance and drama.
 Assist in social and physical development of the children through offering
occupational and physiotherapy exercises

Volunteer task  Work with the rest of the staff to provide the above to the children in this

school

Uganda Pioneers’ Association

TOGETHER WE SHAPE THE FUTURE

Volunteer qualities  Emotionally strong. The volunteer work on this project requires a person

who has close feeling for children with special needs.
 Having skills in caring for children with special needs or occupational and
physiotherapy skills carries an added advantage.
 Command of good communication skills
 Ability to work with children with disabilities or special needs.
Working with physically disabled and special needs children call for a volunteer
ready to be patient, not emotional and prepared to experience irritating
situations. However, a volunteer shall be required to carry a very open heart
that can accommodate these situations.

Working hours Kampala School for the physically handicapped office hours are from 8:00 to

16:30. Volunteers work 5 days a week.

Transport The project is located on plot 63A, Balintuma Road, Mengo (opposite the
Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau) just 15 -25 minutes drive from Kampala
city and 45 minutes to 1hour from UPA guest house in Nansana depending on
the traffic. Travel from Nansana is easy by public means, drop off at Nakulabye
trading centre (Total fuel station), costing approximately 12000 UGX to and
from the project. It takes between 10– 15 minutes by walking from Nakulabye
via Balintuma road. You can even take a boda boda at 5,000 UGX for one way
Accommodation Volunteers to this project shall stay at UPA guest house or a host family in

Nansana.

Comments from UPA The placement can be an interesting one because it will offer a volunteer the
opportunity to assist and support people who are really in need and will highly
appreciate. A volunteer should also carry an affectionate heart full of love,
care and sympathy for children with special needs, command zeal committed
to seeing these children live a happy life too.
Note:
All volunteers choosing school project should always remember to consider
the school holidays when the schools are closed in April - May, August –
September and December to Early February.

Communication Communication with School staff and of the children is easy since most of

them can speak English

Past Volunteers From USA, Israel, Holland, Japan, Germany and Belgium

Participants are required to pay a participation fee of Euro 500 (five hundred Euros) on arrival
for a period of 1- 3months and 80 Euros (eighty Euros) in advance for each additional month/s.