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Coppota Mission defies all odds
Mandla Hadebe, NASCOH
Extracted from NASCOH News No. 51
April 2004

The story of the Margaretha Hugo Schools and Workshops for the Blind, Coppota Mission, is simply mesmerizing even for those outside the disability movement. In most cases people with disabilities are shunned through ignorance that comes from different cultural practices. It has been proved that in Zimbabwe some parents of children with disabilities go as far as hiding those children through shame and fear of being ostracized by their peers.

Coppota Mission is dedicated to serving people living with visual disabilities. It actively seeks involvement in identification, intervention and placement of the handicapped and advises on the educational placement of the classic categories of the visual handicap and with other handicapping conditions. Visually handicapped children are gathered far and wide and trained to fend for themselves. They are taught to survive the harsh reality of their condition and taught learning skills before being integrated into mainstream society.

When a visually handicapped child arrives at Coppota they are first taught orientation and mobility so they can get around the school without any help. In fact, the NASCOH secretariat were very surprised to see some of the children running between their classrooms unassisted and knew exactly where to go and when.

They are then taught Braille reading and writing as well as various all day living skills which they apply for the rest of their lives.

The brighter children leave the primary school and are integrated into normal secondary schools with sighted pupils and many have advanced to university after this.

The remainder attend secondary school at the mission and may proceed to the workshops where they learn various vocational subjects.

Many have left Coppota to go and find fame and fortune elsewhere and be able to fully integrate and excel in their chosen endeavours.

Coppota Mission has established itself as a self sustaining institute. It is able to produce its own materials for all its students and fostered a spirit of self appreciation in all of them in that they are taught to realize their full potential from the moment they arrive until they leave for the world outside.

It is also able to look after its original students who are mostly elderly by providing work for them in the workshops where there is a thriving carpentry business and others work in the printing press producing materials for the visually impaired.

The workshop is currently producing high quality cane furniture made from imported materials donated by an organization in Indonesia. Coppota also used to be the supplier of chalk to most educational institutions in Masvingo, but can no longer do so as the machines have broken down. Other printing machinery has also broken down and the costs of repair have been prohibitive, although from time to time well-wishers have expressed an interest in assisting with repairs.

A dedicated and well-trained staff has ensured that pupils are educationally catered for. This also spills to the extra-mural part as music has been recognized as an important tool in self-improvement.

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