Louisa's Transition Story
Our FIESTA colleagues in Romania shares the story of Louisa, an 8 year old girl who was born without her right arm and hand. Louisa will be transitioning to a new school in two years time. Below is an account from our FIESTA partners EuroEd.
Following the FIESTA interviews in February 2013, we focused on a particular case that required additional support in Romania. Louisa is an eight year old girl who was born without her right arm and hand. She has been in our primary school since she was four years old. Everybody loves her because she is very intelligent and nice. She is part of the school community. She has been treated like all the other children. She always takes part in all school competitions and her peers’ games and parties. Her disability is not seen as an obstacle to her development or her relationships with the people around her. The only problem foreseen is that when she transitions from our school others may not be as accustomed to her disability. This will happen in two years’ time.
We talked with Louisa, her parents, the school teachers' and pupils' councils and with the school counselling service and decided to make our cause for the next two years to raise enough funds to buy her a good prosthesis (medical advice will be sought for this) so that she will have an artificial arm and hand when she finishes the schooling cycle in our primary school. Her parents were very open to this idea and showed a lot of interest and willingness to support us in our endeavour although at the beginning it was difficult for them to imagine their little daughter in a different less familiar educational setting. Both parents and teachers know that transition from primary to secondary school is difficult for any child let alone for a child with a disability. Louisa is a very sensitive girl and her facial expression spoke volumes about her happiness when listening to our suggestions. We are aware that we have to act quickly and prepare well in advance because Louisa needs time to adjust to the new situation and use her new hand as her ‘own’ long before she goes to the new school. The counselling school service will prepare activities and time dedicated to Louisa for accommodating this transition. We are determined to help her enjoy the same popularity and warmth at the new school as she did at our school. The FIESTA tools will enable us to support Louisa during this upcoming transition period
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