A Kolkata-based NGO is transforming the lives of differently-abled children in slums by providing special education free of cost. MOUSHUMI BASU tells us how it’s a ray of hope for kids born with cerebral palsy, speech-hearing impairments, autism, among others
Charaibeti, meaning moving ahead in Sanskrit, is a unique programme true to its name. Providing special education on wheels free of cost, it is transforming the lives of differently-abled children in the slums of Kolkata in West-Bengal. launched in December 2010, under the aegis of Tomorrow’s Foundation, an NGO working for the indigenous communities in the country, it has brought a ray of hope for children born with cerebral palsy, autism, speech-hearing impairments, among others. The best part of the project is that its education, which includes physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, etc, is imparted at the doorsteps of the special children. It will soon be replicated in seven other cities of the country.
Besides helping students cope with their routine activities, the project works towards making them self-reliant and confident in the long run. Hence, along with imparting specialised training, Charaibeti aims to ultimately introduce them to regular schools. This, in a way, helps in their psychological rehabilitation. The project has so far helped more than 100 special children to brace up to the challenges of life at par with normal kids. Currently, this special school has the strength of 329 children.
Two buses move around targeted areas on different days of the week. One of the buses is funded by Terre Plurielle, Foundation, France, and the other by Cognisant Foundation, India. These mobile classrooms are unique in many ways. Their bright yellow walls have flamboyant paintings and motifs done by children themselves. The classrooms have been partitioned by curtains. These units have special educators and therapists, where children and their wards receive individual attention from teachers. The annual running costs of the buses are borne by the French Embassy along with a Delhi-based philanthropist, Akshay Jaitley. The embassy is also collaborating with Tomorrow’s Foundation in a number of activities for the development of indigenous children in Chhattisgarh.
“Our beneficiaries are essentially from the economically underprivileged section of society who cannot afford specialised training/care for their differently-abled children,” says Ritwik Patra, Chief Operating Officer, Tomorrow’s Foundation.
Further, the team is in constant touch with schools, where they are eventually transferred for their formal education. “It is not enough that these children just learn to overcome their physical impediments. Our ultimate success lies in the fact that they do not feel ostracised, and learn to mingle well in society,” Patra adds.
Nitish and Sudip Shaw (aged 8 and 9 respectively), from the Tollyganj area of Kolkata, have proved Patra right. Both were born with cerebral palsy, but leaving their physical challenges way behind, they are today inspiration for countless others. The two brothers have clinched the first and second positions respectively in the 75m running race in a State-level competition held at Salt lake Stadium in 2010. last year, they once again won awards in the State-level sports meet organised for the differently-abled children at Oxford Mission Ground.
For their mother Rekha, the success stories of her sons are incredible. “The world had come crashing down for me, when I realised my sons had cerebral palsy. They could not even get up from their beds and I had to do everything for them. The doctor told me that my sons have no brains and would need treatment throughout their lives,” recalls she. Rekha is today beaming with joy. “It is certainly a big leap for our family,” says she with pride.
In the course of two years, Charaibeti has covered more than 50 slum areas in the northern, southern and eastern parts of Kolkata. Apart from arming the beneficiaries with confidence and training, it also ensures their access to various schemes of the Government, which include Disability Card, Railway Concession and Bus Pass.
Meet five-year-old Zoya Khatoon from the Garden Reach area of Kolkata. She was born with “down syndrome”, which has symptoms of cognitive impairment, besides problems with thinking and learning. Such patients also develop certain distinctive facial characteristics. Her father is a driver who supports the family of seven members with a monthly salary of just Rs 3,000.
“We were told that our daughter has a hole in her heart,” says her mother Shahnaz Begam. The cost of the surgery was Rs 1.78 lakh which was beyond the reach of her family. However, providentially, they approached Tomorrow’s Foundation, which showed them the way ahead. “Within five months we raised the fund and admitted her in the Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Science,” says Nazim Khan, Project Coordinator.
The surgery was successful. Today, Zoya enjoys the tutelage of her special educator Nandini Bannerjee and physiotherapist Ema Kashfi. “She is a bright child and is responding well to our efforts,” says Bannerjee, adding: “She is much more self-reliant and is able to do basic works like wearing clothes, eating food, combing hair, etc, on her own. As she gets older, she will overcome her challenges to a greater extent.”
It is often not easy for the project personnel to find such special children. “We have to undertake elaborate surveys of the slums to spot these children, who are normally kept away from society by their family members,” says Sultana laskar, community mobiliser. These families often suffer from a sense of stigma. “Hence our first challenge is to convince their family members and take them on board with our project. There is initial hesitation on their part, but we win them over by giving them hopes,” says she.
Twelve-year-old Ramshila Kamat, from the Masjid area of Ras Behari, is a visually-impaired child. Her brother Khokkan Kamat is completely blind. “We discovered them during our survey but unfortunately their family was quite dejected. They were not keen to allow their children to come to us. But finally we persuaded them,” says laskar.
Today, Ramshila is doing well and is a student of Standard V. Good at cultural activities, she even performed at a school function on the occasion of the World Disability Day last year. Her message was loud and clear: “I do not consider myself disabled or physically challenged... It is just that I do certain things differently from others.”
The project has also opened up avenues in vocational training. “This depends on their ability to perform,” says Patra. Eighteen-year-old Shahnawaz Hussein has polio. His father Afroz, who earns his living as a driver, did not have hopes. “I used to be anxious for his future, but today there is light at the end of the tunnel,” he says. His son is undergoing a training course in the vocational unit of the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy, Kolkata.
“We link them with other institutes that provide vocational courses, depending on their potentials,” says Khan, adding that 17 such children have been absorbed in various training courses in the city. A yet another student Rajiv Rajubhunik (aged 19), whose ailment was categorised as mental retardation with additional symptoms of epilepsy, is currently getting trained to be a cook in the same institute. The otherwise shy and withdrawn Rajiv is brimming with enthusiasm today. “I will be absorbed in the institute mess next year as assistant cook,” he gushes.
Another novel aspect of the project is the participation of parents. “It is important for them to identify and understand the traits of their children. Only then they can play a constructive role in their development,” says Nazim Khan. Hence there are special classes for family members as well. It is compulsory for them to take part in various therapy sessions administered to their children, besides participating in counselling classes.
Parents are encouraged to form self-help groups (SHGs). “This not only enables mutual interaction but also provides patience and insight to handle the challenges of life,” says Patra. Each member contributes Rs 2 from their daily earnings and bank accounts have been opened in the name of each of the SHGs. These groups have innovative names — as Notun Dal (new branch), Uronto Paakhi (flying bird), Disha (direction), etc. There are already 12 such active groups in the city.
This has created a financial pool which can help members in their hour of need. “The project also supplements our daily earnings by getting us linked to vocational courses of making paper bags, tailoring, etc,” says Zoya’s mother Shahnaz Begum. For Ritwik Patra,however, “This is just a beginning as we have miles to go before we sleep”.