Nora’s story: a mother’s determination ensures her child’s access to education
Nora was born with infantile cerebral paralysis which impairs the movement of her lower limbs and she is unable to walk by herself. As the muscles of her upper limbs are weak she has difficulty with fine motor tasks, such as writing and drawing.“When I was to deliver Nora, there was no doctor in our village. My husband and I decided to go to the regional centre. We could not reach the centre and I delivered her in Akhtala Hospital (near Ayrum Village) where there was no doctor at that time and the midwife was not skilful to help me,” remembered Naira, 26.
Nora, 8, and her family live in Ayrum village, southern Armenia, about four hours drive from the capital, Yerevan.
Naira believes that Nora’s health problems resulted because of the medical staffs’ inability to provide supportive services during her delivery.
I knew my child had the right to have a wheelchair and she had the right to go to school When Nora’s parents noticed that their child was not developing like other babies, they took her to see a doctor. Nora attended special rehabilitation centres in Yerevan, though with great difficulty since the family could barely afford transportation and living expenses in the capital.
“I knew my child had the right to have a wheelchair and she had the right to go to school,” said Naira.
“When she was to go to school I approached the head of the community and asked him for help. Nora had no wheelchair and she was unable to attend school,” said Naira.
The head of the community wrote a letter to the regional administration requesting a wheelchair for Nora.
Meanwhile Naira approached the principle of the Ayrum School to help her with Nora’s studies.
“Nora had no wheelchair at that time and she couldn’t attend the classes regularly. So we had no other option than to organise classes for Nora at home until the problem with the wheelchair was solved,” said school prinicipal, Sophia Ayvazyan.
“When I entered their house I was a bit afraid of my own inability to teach a child with impairment, but it was Nora who taught me that she is as clever and attentive as the other children,” remembered Jemma Khudinyan, Nora’s first teacher.
As the classes continued Jemma understood that Nora needed friends and classmates. Nora wanted to meet other children and make friends with them.
“She was so active and enthusiastic; we decided to bring her to school once or twice a week,” said Jemma.
Children were supportive, even more supportive than the principal, teachers and parents expected “When Nora was to attend the classes at school, I was a bit anxious, because she was the first child with special needs in our school and I was afraid of the reaction of other students and children,” said school principal, Sophia Ayvazyan.
Children were supportive, even more supportive than the principal, teachers and parents expected.
“Seeing me carrying Nora in my arms to school, they decided to help. The next morning the students were standing in front of our door, waiting to help me carry Nora,” remembered Naira.
Soon Naira received a letter from the regional administration that a wheelchair had already been allocated and they only need to come to the regional centre and collect it.
“No one in our family works; we live on poverty and disability allowances. I could not afford going to the centre and then hiring a car to deliver the wheelchair,” said Naira.
Naira met with the staff of World Vision Armenia\'s newly opened Alaverdi Area Development Programme to discuss how her daughter’s right to education could be achieved.
Nora may walk if she visits physical therapists at least every 2 months It took a couple of days to deliver the wheelchair. Hasmik Chakhalyan, Senior Co-ordinator of the ADP, then received a request from the Ayrum community members.
“The principal of the school, teachers and students were asking for some material support to adapt the school entrance for the wheelchair access”.
“As soon as the materials were with us, I gathered the teachers and elder students of the school and it only took us a couple of hours to rebuild the entrance and adapt it for Nora’s wheelchair,” said Sophia Ayvazyan.
“It was a great surprise for me to see the entrance of the school. Now Nora can enter and leave the school easily,” said Naira.
“The doctors in the Yerevan Rehabilitation Centre told me that Nora may walk if she visits physical therapists at least every 2 months. I have talked to World Vision staff and they promised to help me with the transportation,” said Naira.
Nora has a younger brother and a sister, whom she teaches to read and write, guides them with their household duties, and teaches them proper behaviour in and outside their home.
Nora likes languages a lot and she is fond of reading. “Her favourite subject is Russian and Armenian and she likes reading aloud,” said Jemma.
“I like reading fairy tales, when kind people defeat the evil and live happily ever after,” said Nora.
Nora’s ‘story’ has a happy ending due to the determination and co-operation of her mother, school and community. However, not all children have such happy endings - as a society we need to ensure that every child\'s right to education is realised.
Nora, 8, and her family live in Ayrum village, southern Armenia, about four hours drive from the capital, Yerevan.
Naira believes that Nora’s health problems resulted because of the medical staffs’ inability to provide supportive services during her delivery.
I knew my child had the right to have a wheelchair and she had the right to go to school When Nora’s parents noticed that their child was not developing like other babies, they took her to see a doctor. Nora attended special rehabilitation centres in Yerevan, though with great difficulty since the family could barely afford transportation and living expenses in the capital.
“I knew my child had the right to have a wheelchair and she had the right to go to school,” said Naira.
“When she was to go to school I approached the head of the community and asked him for help. Nora had no wheelchair and she was unable to attend school,” said Naira.
The head of the community wrote a letter to the regional administration requesting a wheelchair for Nora.
Meanwhile Naira approached the principle of the Ayrum School to help her with Nora’s studies.
“Nora had no wheelchair at that time and she couldn’t attend the classes regularly. So we had no other option than to organise classes for Nora at home until the problem with the wheelchair was solved,” said school prinicipal, Sophia Ayvazyan.
“When I entered their house I was a bit afraid of my own inability to teach a child with impairment, but it was Nora who taught me that she is as clever and attentive as the other children,” remembered Jemma Khudinyan, Nora’s first teacher.
As the classes continued Jemma understood that Nora needed friends and classmates. Nora wanted to meet other children and make friends with them.
“She was so active and enthusiastic; we decided to bring her to school once or twice a week,” said Jemma.
Children were supportive, even more supportive than the principal, teachers and parents expected “When Nora was to attend the classes at school, I was a bit anxious, because she was the first child with special needs in our school and I was afraid of the reaction of other students and children,” said school principal, Sophia Ayvazyan.
Children were supportive, even more supportive than the principal, teachers and parents expected.
“Seeing me carrying Nora in my arms to school, they decided to help. The next morning the students were standing in front of our door, waiting to help me carry Nora,” remembered Naira.
Soon Naira received a letter from the regional administration that a wheelchair had already been allocated and they only need to come to the regional centre and collect it.
“No one in our family works; we live on poverty and disability allowances. I could not afford going to the centre and then hiring a car to deliver the wheelchair,” said Naira.
Naira met with the staff of World Vision Armenia\'s newly opened Alaverdi Area Development Programme to discuss how her daughter’s right to education could be achieved.
Nora may walk if she visits physical therapists at least every 2 months It took a couple of days to deliver the wheelchair. Hasmik Chakhalyan, Senior Co-ordinator of the ADP, then received a request from the Ayrum community members.
“The principal of the school, teachers and students were asking for some material support to adapt the school entrance for the wheelchair access”.
“As soon as the materials were with us, I gathered the teachers and elder students of the school and it only took us a couple of hours to rebuild the entrance and adapt it for Nora’s wheelchair,” said Sophia Ayvazyan.
“It was a great surprise for me to see the entrance of the school. Now Nora can enter and leave the school easily,” said Naira.
“The doctors in the Yerevan Rehabilitation Centre told me that Nora may walk if she visits physical therapists at least every 2 months. I have talked to World Vision staff and they promised to help me with the transportation,” said Naira.
Nora has a younger brother and a sister, whom she teaches to read and write, guides them with their household duties, and teaches them proper behaviour in and outside their home.
Nora likes languages a lot and she is fond of reading. “Her favourite subject is Russian and Armenian and she likes reading aloud,” said Jemma.
“I like reading fairy tales, when kind people defeat the evil and live happily ever after,” said Nora.
Nora’s ‘story’ has a happy ending due to the determination and co-operation of her mother, school and community. However, not all children have such happy endings - as a society we need to ensure that every child\'s right to education is realised.
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