But that is not the case with Dianne Rooke, the director of Angels on Earth Centre for Children with special needs in Nyali, Mombasa. Today, Rooke is living her childhood dream of helping children with special needs.
What is her passion?
Born in Kiambu and growing up in Mombasa, Diane remembers having a great passion to help in
difficult situation. “It is my grandmother who actually guided me into this. She hated seeing people around her suffer. I guess it rubbed on me,” says the soft spoken Rooke with a discernible tinge of satisfaction in her voice.
Rooke sees a lot in her daily running of the centre that has 35 children with different special conditions, notably autism and cerebral palsy.
What kind of conditions do the kids she caters for suffer from?
“About 15 out of 35 children are autistic which means they need a very special kind of care,” she says.
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| Dianne Rooke, the director of Angels on Earth Centre for Children |
She says diet plays an integral role in containing the condition which is in most times congenital (a condition present at birth). Autistic persons are advised to avoid foods with gluten, sugar, milk and soy products which doctors say aggravate symptoms.
What else do the kids do?
Apart from ensuring the kids get education, Rooke says speech therapy, occupational therapy, play therapy, art, music, which are all offered at the centre play a key role in the development of the children.
When did she start the centre?
Rooke who started the centre two years ago together with her husband and two other directors, thanks the latter for noticing her passion and for funding the centre.
What inspires her?
A staunch Catholic, she says she gets inspired when the children conditions improve. She says she has seen children with autism join normal schools after undergoing therapy at the school. She particularly remembers a case of an autistic child who was brought to the centre and who is currently attending school with other normal children.
“I noticed the child was improving and asked the parents to take him to a normal school,” she says, then adds ,“ to the surprise of the boy’s parents, he passed his entrance exams and is currently doing well.” She also recalls a child who had cerebral palsy and couldn’t walk. The 12-year-old is currently attending a normal school in Mikindani within Mombasa.
Where did she go to school?
Rooke attended Star of the Sea Primary School. She then proceeded to Alibhy Panju Secondary School but her studies were cut short because of financial distress forcing her to drop from school. She says her contemporaries at Primary school included Mombasa Governor, Hassan Joho. However, she later managed to finish her secondary education thanks to home schooling.
Her untrammeled passion to help children with special needs saw her undertake a teaching course. She also has a number of certificates on on special needs.
What discourages her?
“It is disheartening to see people in public places referring to children with special needs as `noisy’ or ‘badly behaved’,” says Rooke.
What does she think is the solution to this?
It is for that reason she thinks knowledge on persons with special needs should be inculcated early in school, even be included in the curriculum to embrace children with special needs as they would do to any other normal child” says Rooke.
What does she not understand?
She does not understand why many employers shun hiring people with special needs. “I have walked into banks, supermarkets, airports around the world and I must say it’s hard to come by an employee with special needs,” she says with evident melancholy.
Which public figure does she have to thank?
She hails mining Secretary, Najib Balala, for visiting the centre regularly to spend time with the kids.
Where does sheget her inspiration from?
Apart from seeing children with special needs improve, Rooke draws inspiration from her husband, close friends and her daughter who is also a trained special needs teacher.
[Adapted From The People]
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