13WMAZ.com, Georgia USA Thursday, October 04, 2007 Tanzanian Blind Teacher Learns Computer By Carly Flynn Morgan Last Update:10/4/2007 6:53:30 PM Web Editor: Carly Morgan The Mwrendi School for the Blind sits at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro in the east African country of Tanzania. But a teacher from the school who's blind himself, traveled to Macon to learn skills to improve the lives' of his students. Rumisha Masam types letters to his students back in Tanzania, but they can't type letters back because they don't have typewriters. Students at The Mwrendi School for the Blind punch dots into Braille paper by hand, to make individual letters of the alphabet. The school can't afford typewriters, but thanks to donations, they do have a few computers. Masam came to The Georgia Academy for the Blind in September. He came to learn computer skills. He's learning to type using a speaking computer program. When he returns to Tanzania in November, he'll teach what he learns about the program to the 43 blind children at his school. "When I introduce the knowledge I get here, they will be surprised and thankful," he said. Masam says job opportunities for the blind in Tanzania are rare, mostly because of a lack of practical skills. Right now, the kids don't know how to type at all, but with computer and internet skills, the students will be better educated and have a chance at getting a good job. Masam feels blessed to have the computers, and soon, the skills to use them. "They need this technology so that they can first get information, as you know information is power," he said. The power to teach children at The Mwrendi School for the Blind, lessons for a better life. If you'd like to make a donation to The Mwrendi School for the Blind you can contact Masam's church sponsor: The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer at (478) 742-4281. The church has set up a fund especially for the school. http://www.13wmaz.com/news/new_story.aspx?storyid=43894 BlindNews Mailing List Subscribe: BlindNews-Request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "subscribe" as subject Unsubscribe: BlindNews-Request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe" as subject Moderator: BlindNews-Moderators@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Archive: http://GeoffAndWen.com/blind RSS: http://GeoffAndWen.com/BlindNewsRSS.asp More information about RSS feeds will be published shortly.