Paula Jones is a teacher who travels all over the world teaching children in far away countries. Before embarking on this adventure, Paula taught an inclusion class for special needs students at Canyon Charter School in Santa Monica, California. Several of the dollie ladies knew Paula through Canyon School, and stayed in touch with her as she sprinted from country to country the past ten years.  We reconnected with Paula when she was home in Los Angeles for the 2013 Christmas holidays and learned about her work in Nairobi, Kenya with children with autism.  Paula volunteers with a socialization program offered through the Autism Support Center-Kenya which is this country’s first autism mobile clinic provider.  This center is run by a young man James, who after graduating from Maseno University, worked as an aide to a diplomat’s son who has autism.  From this experience he decided to dedicate his life to helping children with autism “achieve beyond their disability”.
Paula took back dollies and teddy bears for the children at the Autism Support Center-Kenya and handed them out during an after school pool party. Â James sent us a note that said, “Thank you for sharing the lovely dollies and teddy bears with our kids. Â Paula handed them out to the youngsters and this gesture helped the kids with autism feel appreciated and loved; something the Autism Support Center is so committed to promote in a country where autism awareness is still so limited and some disabled kids are locked up or chained.” Â Visit their website to learn more: Â www.autismcenterkenya.or.ke
