If any person loves to grow up, he won’t crawl on knees. These words of Helen Keller have come to mind, on seeing the special children of the barrier free campus at Geedum in Bastar. learning with barrier free design and modern machines has created awesome self-confidence in these children.
Thought of the campus was aroused in the mind of Collector KC Devsenapati, when he has seen the difficulties of special children in PORTA Cabin. They were facing difficulties in moving to toilets and other routine needs.
To solve this problem, a decision has been taken to construct barrier free campus Shaksham from the Rajiv Gandhi Shiksha Mission Fund. This 100 seat residential school constructed with a cost of Rs 30 lakh was dedicated by School Education Minister Kedar Kashyap on August 15.
Attention has been given to the construction from footpath to toilet that the children should not have any difficulty in their daily routine work. Visually impaired children can walk on the barrier free footpath with the help of special tiles paved on it. Classrooms have Braille signboard. Good books in Braille language are stored in the library.
With Shaksham, the world of special children has been changed. Sound of this world had no place in the life three-year-old Rashmi. She was hearing impaired. When the barrier free campus Shaksham was opened in Geedam, family members of Rashmi admitted her in it.On testing through modern machines, it was found that Rashmi could get well. Now, she could understand sound through hearing aid and lip reading. She understands all things of daily routine through lip reading.
Her teacher Tikesh Kumar Sharma said that Rashmi has taken admission at the right time. Tikesh had his graduation from Helen Keller Institute of Hearing Aid Research Hyderabad.
He said that on imparting training at tender age, children could be freed from both the problems of hearing and speaking, as they have natural ability to learn speedily.Due to lack of care during birth muscles of children do not have the desired motility. Physiotherapy arrangement has been made at Shaksham for such children. Nerve stimulation facility is also available there to bring energy back in the muscles. Anees from Ganjenar has CTEV problem. He has been much benefited from physiotherapy.
According to Physiotherapist Dr Kavita Dubey, through physiotherapy infect hemiplegic patients would be benefited.The children who undergo this therapy here were felling better. PMDRF Shirish Kalyani said that in the barrier free atmosphere children were feeling of completeness. On the occasion of Independence Day, children of Shaksham sung national anthem through sign language.