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| John posing for a picture at his home. |
49 year old John Bosco Urauma from Katakatai Village in Kokopo District lost his right leg in grade eight after a car accident in 1980, but this didn’t stop him to complete his lower secondary education at St. Mary’s Vuvu Christian Brothers School in 1983.
John got his first artificial limb in 1985 and in 1988 he got married and now has four children and a grand child who also has a special need.
John said before getting involved with Callan Services, life was very tough for him and his family.
“My own family neglected me and I usually argued with my wife as I was financially incapable of supporting my children and her,” he said.
John said in 2012 everything changed when Billy from the Special Education Resource Centre.
(SERC) in Goroka came to Kokopo and taught him and his assistant how to cut glass lenses.
“Billy was here for at least five months and during the training he taught me how to check the power of lenses, how to do up prescriptions and how to put lenses into frames,” he said.
“I am employed as an Optical Technician by SERC in Kokopo. I joined them in 2013 and I am currently in charge of the Optical Section.”
The SERC in Kokopo is one of 19 other SERC’s in PNG under the Callan Service National
Unit funded by the Australian Government through the Strongim Pipol Strongim Nesen Program at a total cost of K1,399,315.
The Special Education Resource Centres have supported a lot of children and youths to live a normal life just like any normal citizen and sustain their livelihood through school, sports, health and livelihood programs.
“I am very grateful to Callan Services as they also assisted me to put up a trade store in my village and up till today the canteen is still in operation and I am thinking of building another one soon,” John said.
He adds that he now plays an important role within his family and also in the community where he lives.
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