Peddy Pasnin, a deaf man from Rodrigues Island, has experienced a remarkable transformation in his life. Until he was six years old, Pasnin spent his days idly, without friends or activities. However, his life took a dramatic turn when a school for children with disabilities found him. The school, established by British development practitioners, aimed to provide education and training to children with disabilities on the isolated autonomous region of Mauritius.
Paul Draper, director of Care-Co Rodrigues, recalled the moment they found Pasnin. He explained that they had heard about a six-year-old deaf boy living in a village on the island. Draper and his team visited the boy's home, where they found him sitting in a dark shed, surrounded by onions. The boy's mother revealed that he did not attend school or engage in any activities with friends. Moved by the boy's situation, Draper and his team decided to enroll him in their school.
Today, Pasnin works at the workshop, is married, rides a motorcycle, and leads a relatively normal life. This is the aim of Care-Co Rodrigues - to enable people with disabilities to live normal lives. The organization offers handicraft training and education to the disabled and sells trinkets made by them. Pasnin's transformation is a testament to the organization's success. The school now has around 60 pupils and has become a vital part of the community.
Care-Co Rodrigues was established when Draper tried to set up a handicraft training center, but funding was only available for projects that would benefit children. Draper wrote a project for a school for children with disabilities and secured funding from France. The organization has since received support from the government, which now funds the teachers' salaries through a special educational needs authority in Mauritius.
The school's approach to teaching deaf pupils is unique. Unlike similar institutions in Mauritius, they do not teach reading to deaf pupils. Instead, they use audio oral methods, and pupils wear hearing aids to learn to listen. This approach has been successful, and pupils have learned to pick up gestures and communicate effectively. The organization's projects, including selling honey harvested from their beehives, help sustain their activities.
Care-Co Rodrigues has also provided opportunities for its pupils to showcase their talents abroad. Draper took Pasnin and another colleague to the National Honey Show in the United Kingdom, where they won a First Prize in the overseas category. They also visited several European cities, including Barcelona and London, as part of their trip. These experiences have helped broaden the pupils' horizons and build their confidence.
The organization hopes to expand its reach and sales, particularly with the development of tourism on Rodrigues Island. The coconut shell handicrafts made by the pupils are already being exported to Mauritius, but Draper believes that the growing tourism market on the island will create new opportunities for local sales. Plans to expand the island's airport are also expected to boost tourism and provide new opportunities for the organization.
Key points
- Peddy Pasnin's life was transformed after he was enrolled in a school for children with disabilities on Rodrigues Island.
- Care-Co Rodrigues provides education and training to children with disabilities and sells handicrafts made by them.
- The organization's approach to teaching deaf pupils focuses on audio oral methods and using hearing aids to help them learn to listen.
