Janes Obiero, the principal of Mwata Adventist School for Deaf Children, understands the struggles of his deaf students because he himself is deaf. He's excited to see the growth in both his students and in his beloved school.
If you want to understand the Mwata Adventist School for Deaf Children, begin with the man who understands its students best, because he’s walked their same road.
Janes Obiero serves as the principal of the Mwata Adventist School in Kisii, Kenya. But years ago, he was simply a young boy whose life changed in an instant.
Obiero wasn’t born deaf. He was an active, talkative child, until a severe case of malaria struck. The illness eventually passed, but its complications stole what he never expected to lose: his hearing.
Suddenly, the world around him went silent. School became a daily battle. Friends didn’t know how to communicate with him. Teachers didn’t know how to teach him. And Obiero didn’t know how to rebuild a life he hadn’t chosen.
Everything shifted when he was introduced to sign language. At last, communication returned. Confidence returned. And for the first time since losing his hearing, hope returned.
"Through that, becoming deaf, I know it was a plan for God. Maybe one day I would come to Mwata school to help the deaf children to know the word of God, and at the same time to learn for their future." —Janes
As he grew older, Obiero sensed God calling him to teach at Mwata school, leading children who walk the same difficult road he walked. Now, as principal, he guides students with the same compassion he once needed himself. They see themselves in him. And he sees a future in them.
"Being that I’m deaf and I’m a principal, the learners, they feel motivated. They see that “even our school principal is deaf. We can become somebody in the future.”" —Janes
But Mwata has had practical challenges—too many students and too little space. There was no hall for worship, assemblies, or school programs for the growing community.
In 2023, your 13th Sabbath Offering, also known as the Quarterly Mission project, went to help this school.
With your support, Mwata is building a bright and spacious multipurpose hall, the new heart of campus life. It’s where students will worship in expressive sign language, gather for learning and celebration, and discover that God made them with purpose.
"I think what makes me excited is to see deaf children grow when they know Jesus Christ. That is the happiest moment I have in life because at the end of the day, all of us need Christ in our lives." —Janes
For Principal Obiero, the new construction is a symbol of God’s leading. Thank you for giving to projects like this. Your offerings make a difference. Thank you for encouraging children who communicate differently, yet hear God’s love clearly.
To learn more about inclusive mission, visit Adventist Possibility Ministries at possibilityministries.org.
