World Autism Awareness Day: Featuring A Special Needs Educator

and it's different like you will never find two autistic people who are the same never never not two autistic people are the same it is different for every other autistic person so just be patient you learn that you learn through them that is when you're a teacher but then there's a teacher who's teaching you as well so that child is a teacher for you so you just learn through them. I've missed you guys! I've missed you guys! welcome back for sellers reflection i'm happy to see you there I'm happy to see you. Hi. Hi, I'm Salimia Kohewani. Yes, we're in the month of April and as we know, April is the awareness, autism awareness month. In case you didn't know, now you know. So, our guest today, such a wonderful guest, such a beautiful guest, is called Martha. She's going to take us through. Today we're just going to talk about creating more awareness. I know guys, I know we've done it before. I know we are talking about it all over. But we are never going to get tired about talking about it. We have to be all aware. We need to be. We need to sensitize the people. Like when you see a child, don't stand there, don't stare, don't stare, don't. Don't act like you've seen some strange thing out there. Okay? So that's why we have... This segment for today, this episode for today, and yeah, the entire month, and not only in April. Please, if you can, even in November, if you hear people sensitizing about autism, please do it. Okay? So, welcome, Martha. Hello, how are you? Hi, don't be scared, I'm very good. You're so nice. Okay. Yes, introduce yourself. My name is Martha Ohele. I'm a special educator and I've worked with children, especially children, teenagers and adults with autism for four years and some months. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. I mean, you're amazing because that segment you're in, that field you're in, Needs, like whatever you're doing, not many of us can do it. I'm For sure, for sure. starting Because that's what most of us do. Yeah, but also why would you stare at someone because no one likes to be stared at. That's why we are doing this episode where we are creating awareness because you should not be staring at people. So maybe first things first, before we assume all of us, they know what autism is. to I'm a special needs teacher. speak. Maybe we can talk about it. Ugh. So autism in lighter terms is a disability or a disorder that, first of all, it's autism spectrum disorder. So meaning the spectrum is because there's so many things that come with it. But you will find that this child or an adult or a teenager has issues with social skills, communication skills, and then they have a repetitive behavior. Yeah, that is how you can explain it. So that's how we say that's why they are doing a certain thing in a certain way. In a certain way, yeah. I love that. Yeah. So social communication challenges, social, We can't believe how much they have issues with social skills, yeah can we do it again? They might not know how to, what to do. Let me say that. Yeah. Maybe people are cutting cake. They might be like, why am I not the one cutting it? You know, they don't know how to do it. Like, let me say normal people do. It answers my question because we've gone to these events and you see a kid other kids are playing over there so you as well the regular person you are because even that kid is normal in their own field so it answers that social behavior, communication so you've said you're a special needs teacher you're in a combined school Is it just a special school for these kids? Is it all-inclusive? That's what I'm asking. So, it's two parts. There's one part where it's purely only children who are neurotypical. And then there's the other part where it's children in integrated schools and inclusive schools. And yeah, so it's different. Let me say that. So A normal day, like you as that special needs teacher, how does it look? A normal day in your life, mother? A normal day is just children coming in, you know, you welcome them, and then you have sessions with them. So the sessions is like you're doing academics, you're doing different other therapies, and that's it. They're in a class that is all inclusive. Yes. You're in that class. As the teacher of all these kids, you sit beside this kid That is. Okay, so let me explain it like this. There are different levels of autism. So you'll find that other children, you need to sit by them. There are other children that you might sit way far from them, but then it's a teacher teaching. You're either looking and the child is seeing what the teacher is saying and then they're doing whatever they need to do. Or there's another part where it's a child and now the learning support and the learning support is trying to teach maybe other levels. Yeah. So you might be in academics, maybe they're higher or lower. So they're just meeting the needs. So you're assisting this kid. Because the challenge is in the communication. Yes. The other kids might be teacher, teacher, teacher. They are studying. So you need to move with his pace. Pace, yeah. Yeah. So. Interesting, very interesting because now I think, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know whether it's someone I had here or I had it somewhere about having these kids just join a normal, a regular, a kawaida school. Which one is better? Is it better if I choose to take them to a school where it's all inclusive or a school, are there schools for them? Yes, there are some schools in Kenya that are. Purely. Purely, just ASD. So it depends with the child again, and it depends with the parent as well. There are some children who the intensive teaching, intensive therapy is going to help. But then there are children who are going to inclusive schools is going to help. So it depends. It depends. It's different for every other person. Yeah. Depending with the levels again. Yes. Okay. So some of the challenges. Now I'm imagining Martha, you're in class, Tisha is there. I'm here with this kid. Some of them are singing. And of course, we're in the same room. Yeah. So I can imagine, are you not distracted at times? Do you? Does the kid also feel like I want to move with that channel to you? Yeah, of course. Imagine yourself as a child and then every other person in class is doing something else and you're the only one who's not doing the same thing. Yeah, it's very, it's very like, oh no, why again, why me? But then, yes, there are challenges. There are challenges. So the challenges, there are some barriers, these institutional barriers. You're finding some schools don't work. With children with ASD. Oh yes. There are. Oh many. Yeah. Oh many. Let me tell you why I'm saying many. Because I've had friends who are told, you will have to get your child out of school because she has been abused. Yeah. Maybe they don't know. Maybe they don't know. If she has that, they don't know. Or they just feel bad. Which is bad. They just feel we can't. Yeah. Which is bad. Yeah. So that is the other one. The social barriers. So the social barriers is, stay away from your own family. You just, umemtenga tu. Like umeka tu baria for no good reason. There's nothing. It's just, you have a bias. Reason yake ni, reason yake well, si good enough. Na si good, if I, now that I'm here with you. Because the reason might be that the others are telling them to leave, they are leaving. The others are telling them to shut up, they are shutting up. The others are making fun of us. And I expect it to be like that forever and ever. But this one, I need to take extra. Extra. I need to be extra with this one. I need to take extra time. I need to be extra patient. I need to be... So you just have to wait till school ends. Yeah. And let me stress on something. Autism is a disability to the extent it disables. So what does that mean? It is not everything or every time that autism is a disability. When you're in class and this child is in class and they're quiet, they're doing every other thing the other children are doing, how is that a disability? Then it is not a disability. When you're going to now play and maybe this child doesn't know how to play. then that is a disability because now you have to come up with ways of making them come together with the other children you know so that is when autism is a disability so it's a disability to the extent it disables yeah so i love that you've cleared that and i'm i'm talking to you because Because now, at least you're in that field. How, instead of these teachers, Instead of them doing that, instead of them telling parents, please take your child to another school, or instead of, because that is also a problem for parents, because even me as a parent, I can't tell my other kids that you are the one who is looking for another parent. I learn how to live with this kid. So how can them, even them, let's not leave them after being bullied. How can they at least be inclusive? Imagine I have four kids in this school, but because of this one. I have to remove this one. Okay, so I think what, and there are some who are doing amazing, but what we need to do is be more patient. Patience, just be patient with the child. It's not, you know, there are some people who will just go somewhere and they're just okay. Yeah, they're going, you know, they have friends. But then this one, you need patience. They have to familiarize with the environment and feel like this is my safe space and then come out of their shells. Now that is the patience. And then the other one is compassion. Imagine what this child is going through. Everyone knows what to do. Like, it's like everyone has a rule book, but then it's like you were born without it. So just be compassionate to understand. What is this child going through? Yeah. So they just need to be patient with this kid. Yeah. And somehow you learn. You learn how they communicate. And it's different. Like, you will never find two autistic people who are the same. Never. Never. No two autistic people are the same. It is different for every other autistic person. So just be patient. You learn them. You learn through them. That is when you're a teacher, but then there's a teacher who's teaching you as well. So that child is a teacher for you. So you just learn through them. The same way a parent will say, I know he wants to go to the washroom. The same way the teacher will learn. He will know. When he's doing that, there's someone who has offended him. And there's some telltale signs. Like, if I was to do this, or this, and you are talking. Yeah, it's noisy. Yeah, I don't, yeah. Some, we are like, this is very universally understandable. Like, even if I don't know where, there's someone who will be like, Like, that's what I get. Yeah. If someone was, if you were talking, and I'm going to try to leave, You're like, okay, my time is up. I'm sorry. I was trying to, yeah, I'm sorry. My time is up. Like they communicate, so. Yeah, it's just you to understand. And then now, once you understand what they're talking about, now teach them the way of saying it. Oh. Yeah. I don't want to be here. What could you say? You could say maybe, let me have a break. Break, please. You know, and then let the child go. If you have to look at if something is universally understandable. So if a child just does this and you're talking, It's time to go. Yeah, you're making noise. I'm sorry. It's time to go. And then there are some who have sensory issues. Yeah. They might get into a room and it's so you don't feel it. But then they are like this sensory overload. There's green, there's red, there's blue, there's this, this, this. It's just like they get overstimulated. Ah. Yeah. So that is, you know, where the awareness comes in. These are things you need to come with. Let me see if I had such an autistic person. What could I have done? Yeah, because I feel like we say about our teachers dismissing these kids, but we never really tell them what they can do to include, like to have them both together with other kids. Because like now, when you say that, I'm like, ah, if I hadn't let him learn, I would have known it was noise. I wouldn't have had a problem with him. Next time, he leaves in that room that has all colors, I know. He doesn't like this. Progressively, I'll get to understand this kid. Now the thing comes in. The challenge comes in when you say, not true. Autistic kids have the same legs. So you see, he's struggling. I'm learning. Thank you, Glenn. So I think, just be patient. Or it's just grace or compassion. I don't know. But that is the thing. Once you get to what you want to know, It'll just come. You're like, okay, so this year I had this child and this is how I used to do it. But then this other year I have another one. So I have to like, I'm not going to use this. I'm going to use something else. And the thing is, when people hear disability, they think that this might mean that our toy might be lower in like academics. They're really smart. They are really smart. You find some who are very, God. I have never in my life got people who are very empathetic like those children. They're the most empathetic people. God, they're very empathetic. That one, I'm not even... You might think you're going through something and you don't know and you're thinking this child might not know you're going through something. They will know. They will know. And they're very empathetic. Now they can't tell you. Like they can't communicate. Some, but they'll show. Some will not. Will? Some will not. But the ones who will not, they will show you. they will show you that is when you find a child had maybe some sweets in her bag and then they're like oh yeah because this is what people do to me when i'm feeling sad maybe people give me their candy and then i feel better so they're like let me give it to me celestine because it might yeah they're sweet humans to be around oh my goodness now you know i think taking from what you're saying i think i'd love to be around those people Thank Like, not a lot of, well, I don't want it to come out badly. you But you see how we say, there's a person who speaks, speaks, speaks, until the time of action is gone. very This, until the time of action is gone, there can be fewer words, but you feel the presence. You feel it more than just, yeah. much. Yeah. Yeah. So maybe something else. One last thing, because I love that one, because now our teachers, They will try to be patient and we will be there in class. And then one last one, you can just tell them. Because we are trying to create awareness. We don't want you to feel bad, and they don't feel bad. Teacher may say, now run to the toilet and come back. They will run. This has never happened before. So at least we've told the teacher, please be more patient with this one. Something else. Something else is, okay, we've said compassion and we've said patience. So the other thing is just teachers, I'm sure you have something. You know, everything that you know, we don't know. You're in that field, we don't know. At times, you find that when we are giving maybe some materials in class, it's so... Let's talk about tests. That is the good one. Standardized tests. Why should we be doing standardized tests? It is good that we are doing it, but then this other child who has the skills, why do they need to do this standardized test? You know this child can do this thing. This standardized test, it's going for two hours or three hours or a whole day. How can you make sure that this child is feeling included in this test? If they can do it, how can you, what ways are you going to make them included in this test? So you'll be like, maybe you can break it down. So maybe you're doing 10 questions, take a break. 10 questions, take a break. 10 questions, take a break. Because they can't sit for that long. They can, but at times, yeah, a little concentration span. It's too much. It's too much. It's too much. Can they do the same exam? They can. Okay. They can do the same exam. Just break it down. Break it down. Make it inclusive. If it's not, if it's, it's a child who cannot read, yeah, but then you're doing something that is practical. Include that. Include them in that practical. So, are you saying? When you're doing our KCPs and our KPSA and what, we should be having different, like we should also allocate their time. Yes. To see what judge now and again and what. No. Oh, Lord. No, because when you judge them with everyone. And they're not like everyone. Like I said, these rules, someone had those rules. And it's like us, we just know. We just know this is how we do it. We come, we sit for exams for 10 minutes or 20 minutes, and then we go. These children don't, at times they don't understand. Just break it down. It's fine. It's not going to take you a whole day. It's still the same exam. We're going to do it. If it's not with someone who can't read, use pictures. Yeah. You see how I'm looking at you? Because I'm like, we... And the other thing is, I think we also need to start differentiating our instructions. Like, these children, or just teenagers or adults, they don't speak the same way we speak. So you'll find some don't speak, but they interact. Some speak, some use sign language, some use pictures and all that. So just make sure that in your class, this child has a way of communicating. Rather than telling them, oh, this child speaks in a different way. Oh, this child likes to listen to mom, mom likes to walk. Find a way of communicating. Find a way of making them feel that they can communicate. They want a break. Let them have a break. Teach them how to ask for that break. Imagine if you couldn't speak. Yeah? But then you're trying to communicate. Let's say you also don't know sign language. And you're trying to communicate. And no one is listening to you. No body seems to be understanding that I'm trying to say something. Yeah. They're thinking I'm moving around, I'm throwing tantrums, but I'm trying to say something. And then, if you're not understood, and then they say, oh, this one is going to throw a tantrum. And then the tantrum, it has a function. There's a reason why this tantrum is coming. You saw it coming, you were just not keen. How can you be keen and understand when this tantrum is coming? What are the intervention measures you can put so that before this tantrum gets to this extent, how can we just reduce it? Now, I love that because now that one is not even for the teachers, even for us. You see, the parents, the parents for these kids, they have mastered learning and understanding their children. Us out here, you have to stay. Us out here, us and us including the teachers, because if he hasn't learned with them, and he hasn't had the opportunity to learn with any other kid, that's why we are like, we are in trouble. But now when you share this, I'm like, okay, so this kid is doing this because there's something he wants to do. Let me see what he wants to do. Yeah, it's, it's just, I think it's just being human. Just be human. Imagine yourself, just put yourself in that shoe. No, it's because we don't know. It's okay. It's not like you're not being human. It's because we don't know. Honestly, I think, why am I teaching? He's coming to my front. I'm telling, kids, you're all kids. Hands in jail. Everyone is putting their hands in jail. This one is coming to my front. You know, you might be thinking, what is he trying to teach us? Until I heard Martha, she told us, just learn, understand, be patient. That's when I'll start now. And I'm happy that now I discipline. Kind of understand. They do. Kind of. Yeah. Because at the moment, if I see someone who is alone, doing their own thing, I'll be like, that kid is a liar. A liar too. It's okay. It's not a lie. It's not a lie. It's okay. Yeah. She's just fine. And also, I think as parents, when you mentioned that, I think we need to be teaching our children how to teach other children, especially the children who have Thank you. These disabilities. And it's not just ASD. It's every kind. So if a child sees how... If they see how their parent correlates or relates with other people or other children, then this is what they can pick. And they'll be like, because I've found some children who are very amazing. Like this, maybe when you go to the bathroom and then come back and then maybe one of these children are not, they didn't understand the question or whatever was said. And they'll be like, hey, let's go. And they just hold their hand and then go. Do you know that? If she happens to be a teacher in a class where there's a kid with that condition, she's already patient from the word go. So she'll be understood. I love that. Thank you so much. So now that you've mentioned, now that you've told us two, three things we can practice moving forward, now we won't be staring, I'm sorry. I'd like to know, so when it comes to, sorry. When it comes to parents being involved, because like you in a school, you deal with the parent and the school. What are some of the things, because some of us parents, I don't know whether it's denial, but we don't want to hear that a child has that. So of course, I wouldn't want that. It's hard. It's not easy. And then they are growing. from kids to adults to we need to learn them we need to be patient with them so some of the things that our parents can especially like I don't want to repeat what my parents have told me to do because I have not been able to hold on to it. And that's why I'm getting used to the exam because the exam will fail, it will repeat, it will repeat, it will repeat, but it's not the exam, the boy is okay, the baby is okay. So some of the things the parents can do because we get angered. So first of all, the one person who's The advocate for this child is this parent. You are the advocate. You talk for this child. This school, this is how I want it. This is what I want my child to do. This is how I think this is how we might go. So you have to advocate for your child. And the other thing is, you can, when you get a diagnosis on autism, then you get the level. Then you can know or you can even go to the specialists and they will tell you what are the long-term and short-term goals of the child. So you have to advocate to get an IEP. What is an IEP? IEP is an Individualized Education Plan or Program. This is specific for every other child. This includes your long-term and short-term goals. It will show you what this child will be doing this year. So advocate for that. What? It will tell you. It is teachers. If your child is working with an OT, there's an OT in there. If the child has a speech therapist, there's a speech therapist, applied behavior analysis, everything is in there. So advocate for that IEP because through that IEP, you get to know where is your child and what level is my child achieving the goals. So you have to advocate for that. So when, okay, is it like a, is it like per year, every year, or it's full? It is revised. Every year? It is revised. I think it's different, but then I think these are four months. So I need to go and see how he's doing progress. Yeah. Then we get another one for this year. Yeah. So it keeps being updated. Yeah, my child maybe last year, my child wasn't looking, eye contact, but then what was worked on, this, this and this, now my child can have an eye contact. So what is the next goal that goes with that eye contact? Maybe it's saying hi, something of a sort. Yeah, you know, it goes step by step, and it goes to the most complex one. So it's just, it builds up. So when you have a child who is autistic, and you're going to school, just make sure they have an IEP. And the teachers know how to make it. So that is between the parent and the teacher. And the teacher. So they need to see this is what we are working on. Parent, teacher and school. And? And school. And school. Yeah. Wow, I didn't know that. I didn't know that. So yeah, so at least now we can gauge our kid as per this. Not as per... Because I have friends who've been told, let her go back. Let her go back. Let her... Because to go back, that means everyone's goal is his goal. Everyone's goal, you know, but then every other child has different needs. Are the needs being met in that school? Yeah, so if the needs are being met, then have an IEP so that you know as a parent, my child, this is what my child is doing in school and this is what. So now after school, so now I don't know, after school, now they're moving from school, from... They have worked on their social... Well, at least we've mastered them. Now they have gone through their adult life. How is navigating that process? Hey. Because now you know, they have moved from this teacher, they have come to the office. They have come to university. There are very few places in Kenya... Push your mic, sorry. Am I pushing it this way? So, there are few places in Kenya that deal with adults, with autism. I don't know. I can't even tell you one place that will take your child and then you're going to like, okay, so in my mind I'm always like, this child, maybe they're interested in ICT. You can see if your child is interested in ICT. They just navigate around ICT. Yeah, so now you think they might go to college. Do you think those colleges In college, remember your classmates, it's like 300 people or 500, I don't know, just too many people. Yeah. There was a program in Strathmore, I don't know if they still have it. There's a program in Kise, I don't know if they still have it for adults with autism. I don't know if I should ask. Can I ask? Yeah. I don't know if... I don't want to sell my place of work. No, you can. Okay. So, but then I have seen some places that they train the vocational skills. Yeah. So these vocational skills, like when you come to Kaizora, your child is trained in vocational skills. Kaizora is where you are. Where I work. Okay. So in Kaizora, the child is trained on vocational skills. And... Just from the point of entry, you will know if this child is interested in agriculture or is interested in culinary arts. At what age is this? So they start from 14 years. Oh, nice. Yeah, so yes, the child is still getting all the other therapies and meaning, but then they add in vocational skills. So by the time you get to 18, now they're looking for internship for you. By vocational skills, you mean? Like literally vocations. So there's like, they train you in agriculture. So that is farm work. There's training on culinary arts. So you literally cooking. So do you do it? During the holiday? Do you do it during school time? When are they training this? So Kaizora, there's a center. It's called Kaizora what? Kaizora Center for Neurodevelopmental Therapies. Okay. So here, this child is trained on all these things that they have interest in. If it's music, then they're trained professionally. So you join here full time? From age 14, that's like high school? So it's not, we don't do it as a high school. It's what do you need, kind of thing. What do you, as a student, need? So it's not like at four years be here, depending on that time, whatever we see your kid is interested in, we give it to you and he goes. Yeah, and they continue with other therapies. Okay, you know. So you find that this child, by the time they're 18, now they're looking for internship. And they have graduated people. So this internship, the child is going, they get maybe I think for them it's like I think four to six months of this internship program and then they're taken into workforce. Really? Like he's just arrived and he's a grown man? What do we want as a country? We want to be inclusive. But you want quality of life. What does quality of life for you? Do you have friends? Are you going out with your friends? Yes. Are you living alone? Can you live alone? They can live alone. They can live alone. So these are the things you train them on their independence so that their quality of life is up. That's it. I love that because I don't think I've met an adult who's autistic. Let me ask, was autism there, or has it increased? Was it there before or has it increased? Autism has always been there. The first person who was diagnosed with autism, I think he died last year. I think at 18. It is a new field, but it's always been there. But it feels like currently it has become... It feels like it's in the increase. Yeah, that is what people say. But in my mind, I don't think it is on the increase. It's just that people are getting more diagnosed. People, when you look at your primary school or high school or campus, you might look at someone and like, yeah, he might be checking some of the boxes. He might have been autistic. He might have been lazy. We didn't know. But then now, people are getting... More diagnoses. So it's more skilled workers on the field. So they are getting what they need. So now we can spot it. We can see. See? Yeah. like Feels like it's more. But it was just there. It was there. Because right now you can look at the shell and be like, can I suggest this to the mom? Can I suggest this to the parent? You can suggest because you don't know. And I love that you said that. There's something you've said. You don't think, well, we are thinking, we are not sure that there are many places in Kenya who, like, whatever you've said about the skills for these kids. Yeah. So now that's like a challenge. Is there any other challenge you people face in the autism? Some. I know there are some. Definitely. Yes. So some of the problems that we are facing is changing the mindset. Changing the mindset is hard. of the everyone the caregiver the parent the teachers and it goes on and on and on it goes on and on and on because you're trying to tell someone that this child is not when you know is differently able let me say that yeah it's just the brain is wired differently yes yeah i get it you And going to schools, you have to change the mind of a teacher that oh, she can't just give him time. Give him maybe two weeks. They're going to get it. But then once they get it, trust me, they're going to beat everyone in class. So, they're good. So, Anasindo, what are you telling me? What are you saying? And then look at the workplace right now. Yeah. If you were to employ an autistic person, Then that means now these people around also have to be trained because it will get to a point where this person might shut and then they're like, I need my space to just breathe. I am sorry. I am not trying to tell you that you can't talk to me right now. I just need some space to go and regulate and then come back. So you have to train everyone. Now changing the mindset of these people that this person is as competitive as you are in this field. Just give him time. It's difficult. Difficult. I had not thought about that. Changing the mindset. Yeah, that is hard. Because for us, we are like teamwork. Why are we wasting time? Group discussions. Why are we wasting time? What are we doing? But have you ever wondered why some people just don't get involved in group works? But then when you give them their own works, they're like, very nice. Just like you say, just not everyone works well in group. Yeah. Something else. Something else. So I've talked about the barriers, the institutional and the societal barriers. And then now that one. And the other thing is, I think how can you make spaces inclusive? We've talked about the workforce, but then how do you make this room inclusive for every other person? the same way we have uh the parking areas we have parking for people with wheelchairs have the ramps we have the lifts yeah so we also need to be inclusive yeah and remember ASD is not visible so you wouldn't you wouldn't know if someone is autistic And then you will find another child who has entered the room and then he is looking for a switch. I shut it down. And you are recording a show like this. the lights are too much for me I just need, you know, some sensory, you know, I just need some sensory, you know, I want to be a dog. Or there are some who will actually like, you know, they want the whole room to be light. Yeah. So it's just how can you make those kinds of spaces for them? I think I understand why some parents will be like, just leave me alone in the house. When he leaves, he will start abusing people. Because, yeah, because imagine I make up as you said, we record as if it's been steamed. I'm human, but imagine how we'll react. Seriously, before you know, you're like, okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But also, I think us as Kenyans, we just need to be more aware. You go somewhere just to be more aware. We need to. Um... Before you even go and sit down in a conference, just ask, is there somewhere this decent person can have some sensory? you know relief yeah i love that you're finishing by saying kenyans we need to be more aware because that's what i imagine hey by the way i am i am putting myself into their world We see so many things in the world. Like the colors. So, why don't you tell me the colors? everything And then, remember, you know, when you go to the supermarket, is there so you take the trolley, and then you take everything else, and then you go, you pay before you take, maybe come and eat some chips, you take them after you're done. But then, this is, like, it's, you just have that as a rule. It's an unspoken rule. But then, remember, they're people who this is not an unspoken rule for them. Yeah, so they have to be taught. Like, when you go to the supermarket, you go, you take the trolley, you shop everything. You have to pay before you take it. It is hard. So that's where you see mums, she has a child in the supermarket, she has fed herself, she has taken care of herself, she doesn't want to... Then you're here saying, maybe if my child does that... But that is why I love mums, because mums will be like, ah, that means she's throwing a tantrum down there. Thank They'll just be okay, fine, because they have gone through the same. Moms have gone through children. So we have those ones who have gone through it. Then we have those ones who will be out there judging. Then we have those ones who get to a point and I'm like, you know what, let's leave him in the car or in the house you. because I can't. I love that you are really creating some awareness and it's the month for April. So maybe the other thing will be And this one, okay, the last thing I'll ask you after, but no, the other thing will be something that we, as Kenyans, in those public spaces, in those archives, in those places where we are crowded, and we assume that everyone has their own mind, of course everyone has their own mind, but we assume we are the same. Those things that we feel like, this is how it's supposed to be done. But then there's this person. Putting all factors aside, the scamming, the robberies, everything else. Because right now I'm scared to tell you, where did I help you? So putting all those factors aside, what is that thing you would address as Kenyans? Again, be more aware. They are not standing or looking around because they are confused or something. No, they just don't know. What is going on? Where should I concentrate? It is too much. People are talking. People are walking. Everything is just happening very fast. How can you just try? Try. At times, I don't mean to be a... I can't just go to someone and be like, can I help? But then before you go, don't touch them. You know, just ask from, can I help you? If you notice... Yeah, such and such is happening. Just, can I help you? Give them A little bit of space before you approach. Because that will appear if someone was just going ta-ra-ra. You'll be like, I'm fighting you. So just be more aware. Just, that is all. Can I ask you, now feel free if you want to answer. If you don't want to just say pass, then you can end the show. What made you specialize in this field? Not knowing. Really? Not knowing. I don't like not knowing. Because, so in campus, You will find that some units, let me say that, or specializations, they only take a certain quota. So in my campus, we had to have at least 15 people. And in my class, people went for the visible disabilities. So that is hearing impairment, physical, you know, such and such. Those are the ones that had people. And then there's these other ones that are not visible. People didn't go for it. So behavioral disorders, learning disabilities, we actually had to go and talk to the school. We were like, please, allow us. We want to do this thing. Allow us to do this. So what made me want to do this is actually, I'm going to go back to my boss. I went for autism awareness in 2017 and 2018. And then I saw how she talked about autism. In school, trust me, what you're taught is like a page on autism. Wait until you meet with it out here. Wait until you meet. So this woman, she talked so well about autism. You're like, yeah. So I was like, yeah, this is what I'm going to do. So in school, yes, I didn't do behavioral disorders because that is their specialization that went with autism. But then after that, I actually applied to that and I was like. If this, if Kaizora doesn't take me, I'm going to apply again and again and again. By God's grace, I got in the first time. So that is how I, I guess, you know, it was just not knowing that I wanted to know. That's a challenge to us all because I didn't know I wanted to know. Because I feel like I want to know. Not even to teach or make a career, just to... In the society we are in, there are so many things that we don't know. You end up judging people. You end up saying this child has this and that. You know how we talk. Yet, we don't even know if it's his mother. And you get those parents who don't know that my child has this. You can look at your community. Let's just remove ourselves from the from city life and go back to your community. You'll find that there are people who are being... oh yes yeah and then there are some children who are actually in the market when you're have you ever just thought and you're like i don't think they're it's just we don't know what to do we don't we just don't understand but i want to communicate something but i can't see it You don't want to stay at home? Like, you know that's why they call them. Like, I want to go to the toilet, to the classroom, I want to go to the washroom. I don't know if the teacher wants me to go. But I will leave with this bag and go. How will the teacher see me? Then, if you remember that you committed suicide, then other children will be like Miss, what? She didn't commit suicide on themself. It's so... It's a delicate balance, let me say that. It's very delicate. Yeah, it's very, yeah. But then I would say Kenya has made some strides. Oh, we have. Since 2000, so there was only one, so there's this person called a board-certified behavior analyst. Previously, in 2009, all the way to, I think, 2019, there was only one. And then now... We've had people going to the same field. So what does behavior analysis do? It actually analyzes the behavior of this child. Why do they behave? This way. And then they come up with ways of them to cope. So if you go to a room and you're feeling sensory overload, What is a way you can cope with such? If you're going to somewhere and it's so loud, what is a way you can cope? So Kenya has made some strides. How do they cope? They have entered into the three. It has holes and holes. That is where that ABA comes in. So they teach you how you are going to cope. It would be maybe having some headphones. They have the noise cancelling. Yeah. That's expensive now. If I need headphones to be boarding a matatu. It is. It is. That's why. Like I said, Kenya, we need to make more strides. Why do our matatus have to be that loud? I know it's a matatu culture. But then, remember, you're not... You know, exactly what you're saying. We feel like everyone is changing their clothes. When he was told to turn off the sound, that's when he started to speak. The fact that it's only one, you will get maybe it's only one in that matatu. Yeah, choose another one. Makanga was like, no. No. Kamu can't go out. And in real sense, this guy is struggling. Imagine. So as we end this episode, and i love how compassionate you are just like from you just wanting to learn a skill to you developing that soft space yeah i was saying i love it thank you so much so maybe as we end this we are spreading the awareness and i'm glad you've done i think at a miss a nickel i'm that kenyan who is aware yeah more aware we'll keep on doing more of it but as we end it Wait, there's that one thing. There's one thing that you see people doing. I wish you could not do or would do more. I would say, so I wish Kenyans would be more... Okay, there are places that are doing the same. But then just autism awareness. It is not something that you only do in April. Every day is autism awareness day. Because just because you can't see it, it is there. And also, I think just... Be compassionate. You are doing amazing, but be compassionate. Try and be more compassionate, more than you're doing right now. And not only to the autistic, even the others, the behavioral, the entire group. And then for schools in Kenya, I think schools need to welcome other professionals. Not only special needs educators can work with people with autism, there are some other professionals that should come into the field because all of these still help this autistic individual. These individuals could be occupational therapists, could be speech therapists, could be applied behavior analysts, so this is still going to help this child be more open to learn. Be more open to try other strategies because it's not a one-shot, it's a spectrum. So just be more willing to learn. Thank you so much, Martha. Thank you so much. I am willing to learn personally. I am willing to learn. Thank you so much, guys. And I hope this episode has, at least, even if you know something, even if you were zero, at least there are one or two things you know. So in this month, let us be willing, let us be more compassionate, let us be more patient with these people. They are our brothers, they are our sisters, they are our friends, they are our neighbors. We meet them everywhere. They are there. So thank you so much, Martha. We are going to try and... Apply some of these things. Imagine if you tried. If you try and someone else tries. We are moving. They're doing that. They're doing the song guy, yeah. Thank you so much, Martha. Thank you for coming. We are going to share details. We are going to share details of your organization. The organization. So that in case anyone wants to reach out, they can reach out. To either you or them. Anyone. Yeah, you're welcome to come. Yeah. Thank you so much, guys. I hope you're going to and you've enjoyed the show. See you next week for the other episode. Bye bye.