The Devil Children. Anonymous

Ekwensu ụmụaka; devil children.

How can it be? As I watch the ordinarily restless brothers, David and Alex, glance thoughtfully around the freshly painted classroom my insides lurch. Every fibre of my being fights against the stigma that Nigerian society attaches to children with cognitive differences such as Savant Syndrome and ADHD. For over six months, It has been my job to ensure that such pupils at Ocean Crest School receive daily support for these conditions which are considered too shameful to address.

There, I coach students' learning of numerical and reading processes which are fundamental to leading effective lives. There, students like Jasmine, a six-year-old girl with a speech disorder, can find her voice. I seek to foster individuality in learning, regardless of how far the student's methods stray from the 'norm'. I hope my efforts will contribute to a future of inclusivity; of boundless potentials.