the yes! effect - can one word change the world? yes!

I said Yes! to my son Moses and i want to say Yes! to thousands of autistic children and their families all around the world by being voted a Western Union Yes, ambassador. A child with Autism like any other child deserves education and being a parent of a child with autism i know how hard and costly it is to educate such a child.

Moses was born the cutest and happiest baby you can think of. He was so cute that at the age of 3 he was selected in an audition amongst many kids to appear in a print commercial for the largest circulating newspaper in Kenya. However what was to be our happiest moment turned to be a major turning point in our lives. Moses could not stay still for the cameras on location. He was unusually crabby, refused to corporate with the filming crew and could not even look at the camera. After 3 hours of of trying to calm him down the Ad agency made a decision to cancel the shoot, and have him replaced. The cameraman at the shoot came up to us and told us that Moses was displaying some familiar characteristics and suggested we take him to see a child psychologist. This coupled by the fact that at the age of 3 he hadn't spoken got us to act promptly. It was at the psychologist's office that i first heard the word "autism". My own son was diagnosed by a condition that would soon become a major worldwide health concern and subject of numerous studies and controversies.

It has not been easy ever since. Moses like thousands of other children suffering from autism have to go through special education programs which are very costly especially in the developing world. They have costly health care needs and have to go through special nutrition programs. Of my main concern is the education of these children. Depending on the severity of their conditions, some cannot be integrated into the mainstream school system and have to go through special classes.

It is with this in mind that we need to say Yes! to children with autism by contributing toward their education so they can one day have a brighter future and gain from their individual talents. As a western union Yes ambassador, i will seek to work with this organization that has for the last four years been a reliable avenue through which i have shared my love and care towards my son, in setting up a special fund where part of the fee we pay to remit money, however small, will be channelled towards helping families educate children with autism. Let us all say yes! to children with autism.