Small but mighty act of inclusivity

Kaija Penttinen, volunteer at Espoon Seudun Näkövammaiset ry, has a card on her bookshelf with a landscape made of pipe cleaners. On the back, the card says, “Thank you very much for visiting us”, signed by two groups of the Pohjois-Tapiola day care centre.

“When I received the card, tears welled up in my eyes. The children had earlier asked me if the blind could cry – there was the answer. I think it is important to allow children to ask anything freely. After all, children are curious, and their questions are without prejudice.”

Kaija has visited day care centres and primary schools in Espoo to tell children about being visually impaired. During her visits, children are given an opportunity to try walking around with a white cane. Kaija tells the children that the cane functions as her eyes. Kaija also brings with her glasses made to simulate her vision, so children can see what the world looks like through Kaija’s eyes.

Kaija wants to break down prejudices and raise awareness of visual impairment and its many forms: just because someone uses a white cane, it does not mean that they are completely blind. Her message is that all people are different, and no one should ever be bullied because of their differences and that even people with disabilities are ordinary people.

“I believe that this message of accepting diversity sticks with you better when you meet a living example compared to reading about it in a book. Hopefully, awareness gained at a young age will stay with these children.”

Kaija hopes that her audience will apply this message to all people, not just people with disabilities. “This is also important to me personally, since I want to feel useful and do good for others.”

Children have usually thought about their questions in advance. Kaija often sits on the floor with the children and then chats about how, for example, you should not pet a guide dog because it is working. Each child and teacher are given a small magnifying glass and a sheet of the Braille alphabet to keep. Kaija shows the children how to read the alphabet. She instructs the children to touch their cheeks gently to practise Braille.

“I was delighted to hear that, after my visits, the children have told their parents, for example, that electric scooters must not be left lying in the middle of a road. One child said that nowadays his father always moves electric scooters out of the way so that the visually impaired can move around safely. I have received a lot of praise from the parents. The idea for these visits came to me when I was on the bus on my way to the pool and a little boy sat next to me and asked me why I had a cane. I told him it was my eyes, and he asked me why I did not just wear glasses.”

Kaija would be happy to continue visiting day care centres and schools. You can contact her by sending a message to esn@saunalahti.fi. Do not hesitate to ask your child’s day care centre to invite Kaija over!