International Day of Education

Celebrated earlier this month, the UN’s International Day of Education is focused on strengthening a return to education. cbm, and their partners, look forward to continuing to support inclusive education as schools, colleges and universities re-open.

In Papua New Guinea, 9-year-old Hane would love to become a teacher! She gets up early every day, as she doesn’t want to miss one minute of school! 

Hane’s favourite subject is sign language. She loves to read the sign language dictionary and learn different new signs from pictures. Hane is good at art, she loves to draw and colour.

When Hane leaves school she would love to become a teacher so she can teach children like herself. 

Hanes mother, Brenda, didn’t think it was possible for her daughter to go to school because she could not hear. But when one of Hane’s friends came home from school announcing that children with disabilities are welcome, Brenda enrolled her immediately. Hane was absolutely ecstatic and that excitement has not worn off. 

With regular support from generous people like you, cbm’s partner, the Callan Network, supports children with disabilities to learn in mainstream schools. Your generosity is helping teachers learn the importance of including children with disabilities in their classrooms.

Hane and Brenda are very thankful to the cbm-partnered Callan Network. When Hane started school, her teachers had been taught sign language so she could be included in her class.

Without the inclusive education programme Hane would never have started school. Brenda says this would be very upsetting because when Hane is excluded it takes a huge emotional toll on her. 

Brenda wants Hane to have the same opportunities as the other children in her neighbourhood and doesn’t want her to be dependent on someone else.
Now that Hane is thriving at school Brenda can see her getting a job when she is older. 

“She will one day own a car and drive around town,” Brenda says about Hane with a smile on her face.