Report On Excursion

1ST DBI AFRICA CONFERENCE ON DEAFBLINDNESS

12TH – 14TH MAY 2022

KENYA INSTITUTE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, NAIROBI AND ONLINE 

Deafblind Reality in Africa: Meeting the Sustainable Development Goals – Opportunities and Challenges

Report On Excursion Sponsored By The DBI Outdoor Network  

 Introduction

A team of 12 participants at the DBI Africa Conference and their assistants participated in the excursion sponsored by the DBI Outdoor Network on 15th May 2022. The team consisted of 5 deafblind participants, 2 blind participants, 1 deaf participant and 4 sighted assistants. The team consisted of Kenyan, Ugandan and Zimbabwean citizens. Several other participants had wished to participate but their travel bookings could not allow them.  

The excursion, which aimed at giving the participants a close interaction with nature and other tourist attractions, consisted of three main attraction sites: the National Museums of Kenya, the Nairobi National Park and the Giraffe Centre. 

Attraction Sites

National Museums of Kenya: Here the participants interacted with a wide range of archeological, historical, cultural and wildlife information and artefacts. With the assistance of an experienced guide, the participants visited a selection of galleries, including the Early Man archeological artifacts and excavations, the History of Kenya gallery, and the Peoples of Kenya cultural gallery. They also visited the Birds of Kenya and the Snake Park. 

Nairobi National Park: At the National Park, the Game Wardens assisted the participants to feel a stuffed Lioness and a stuffed Cheetah. In addition, the participants were entertained by Maasai dancers and also got a chance to interact with them and feel their attire and cultural weapons. It was not only a learning experience for them but also for the dancers who got a chance to interact with deafblind people and learn more about deafblindness.

Giraffe Centre: At the Giraffe Centre, the participants had an exciting opportunity to touch and feed live giraffes. After, they sat down for a lecture on giraffes and a feel of the various bones of giraffes. The professional warden at the Centre provided the participants ample time to each feed the giraffes and to ask questions regarding giraffe life and anatomy. 

Conclusion

From the excitement and feedback from the participants, the exclusion was a great success. It provided them with an outdoor experience that they had never before experienced. They requested for their expressions of gratitude to be conveyed to the sponsors and consented to their photos and videos to be used by Deafblind International.