On 15^th June 2012, 13 hearing impaired participants graduated from the ReachUp! program at Machakos school for the deaf. This was the first graduation event for participants with hearing disability and it doubled up as a fun day for DOT Lower Eastern team where they got to interact with other students from the school and the rest of the community.  

Facilitation at the center started in May 2012 and the DOT facilitator Jeveti Shiyonga has knowledge of basic sign language which enabled him to conduct his sessions. Jeveti says he had several challenges including understanding the current versions of the Kenya Sign language which has been updated several times, getting the participants to pay attention and containing their impatience. Despite these, the going has been great since the experience has "developed me as person, improving my patience and skills on how to handle people," He says. The thrill of pioneering DOT's ReachUp! program in special institutions has given him a reason enough to endure such challenges with a smile.

The day started off with DOT team making their way to the silence zone to share with the hearing impaired students through various activities. The team participated in slashing grass in the compound, learning to communicate with signs, sign naming sessions where every guest was given a sign name depending on his/her looks and they planted trees to commemorate the event. Cleaning the compound as a team generated interest from the people around us to want to know more about our organization. Through the talking, many showed interest in what the organization is offering to the community. The activity showed the great unity we have as DOT Kenya  together with the other organizations (DOT Kenya Partners). The tree planting activity motivated the environment club in the school as they promised to take care of the trees despite water problem in the whole region.

While handing certificates to the graduating participants, the school's Principal Mr. Anthony Muthembwa, reiterated the school's belief that a deaf person can do anything that a normal person can do. He also took that chance to thank DOT Kenya for creating a partnership in their school that will break the stigmatization on hearing impaired students.

Machakos School for the Deaf is a public learning institution; it comprises secondary school section and primary school section with 150 students and 270 pupils respectively. The school is located in Machakos town in Lower Eastern Region. It has a history of being the first school for the deaf in Kenya and with the highest number of secondary school students and primary school pupils. It's the first school for the deaf in Eastern Region to partner with DOT Kenya and the first to accept that a deaf person can operate a computer.