Arivu’s to empower special children with disabilities

Arivu’s to empower special children with disabilities

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Aug 27, 2015:  An NGO - Arivu (Awareness), a non-profit, non-governmental organization, is all set to create awareness regarding disabilities, on special children below six years, in the community and offer remedial action.

As a run up,  they have been meeting doctors to take healthcare to taluk levels to provide early intervention to children with disabilities. With proper training, more than 50% of children with disabilities can be sent to normal school.  Poornima R Bhat, administrator, Arivu said.

The organization intends to undertake a community-based rehabilitation (CBR) as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), which focuses on enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities and their families, meeting basic needs and ensuring inclusion and participation.

Arivu will employ multi-sector strategies to empower persons with disabilities to access and benefit from education, employment, health and social services. CBR will be implemented through combined efforts of people with disabilities, their families and communities and relevant government and non-government health, education, vocational, social and other services, said Bhat. Prior to this, Arivu will conduct a comprehensive survey to locate the disabled in the district.

Administrator Bhat said their aim is to strengthen the government’s effort in starting District Early Intervention Programme. She adds they will work with hospitals, colleges specializing in social work, women’s organizations, NGO’s and professionals dealing with rehabilitation. School of Social Work, Roshni Nilaya, and the MSW department of St Aloysius College have expressed their interest in this programme, providing them the required manpower to conduct surveys.

She noted that India has an estimated 35 million children with disabilities and very few programmes offering early detection and intervention. As soon as a child’s milestones like smiling or eye contact is delayed, parents must be provided with guidance to take the next step. Even a baby of six months can be trained with a home-based programme.

Administrator Bhat realized the need for this intervention since they had to run from pillar to post after their son Prateek was born with Down’s Syndrome and none could understand his condition and his special needs. The family moved abroad in 2001 and Bhat did MS and worked extensively in the field of rehabilitation and counselling in USA for 12 years.

Both Bhat and her husband Radhakrishna have been dreaming of creating a resource centre for parents blessed with special children and provide counselling and behaviour services.