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A recent survey showed that
there are more than 274 special children living in and around
Rajapalayam. Many of them have Cerebral Palsy (CP) a
non-progressive neurological physical disability, Mentally
challenged (MR) and multiple disabilities. Many of these
children have never been to a school and are usually left alone
in the house without any day-care. We see daily the mental agony and the hardship parents of such
children face. We also come across the practical difficulties
and inferiority complex of these children.
Why these kids not coming to the special school???
The parents of these children are daily wage-earners earning
between Rs.35 and 70. So, economically it is not possible for
them to send their kids to the special school. And it is also
hard to take these kids in the public transport system.
These are the concerns...
[1] Families of the children live in areas (mostly villages)
away from Ritham School. The kids, therefore, need a bus to get
them to school.
[2] The public transport that reaches these areas is not always
geared to their needs. Someone has to take them to the stop
which is not close by and see that they board the bus. And be
there when they return. For working parents this is not an
option.
[3] Very often, the parents cannot take a day off to reach the
kids to school and pick them up when it gets over, Which is
probably why kids who are even mildly retarded never see school.
So, we have decided to provide FREE transport and FREE education
for these under-privileged children. Taking immense steps to
achieve this and collecting funds to buy SCHOOL VANS. Thus the
way we can transport Kids SAFELY to and back from school WITH
OUT parents intervention.
We see the kids as people with rights, who must be extended the
facilities available to other kids. Whatever talent they have
must be given a chance to blossom.
The crucial question here is this: Who is going to look after
them after the parents are gone? Shouldn’t those who can be
educated/trained be given a chance? At once?
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