Non Government Initiatives

Conference on Child development

The Rural Children Development Council, Assam organized a conference on child development at the premises of the Srimanta Shankardeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati recently in association with the Arohan Artist Guild.

Former Asom Xahitya Xabha president Lakhi Nandan Bora released a book, “Aarohan” on children's physical, mental and intellectual development on the occasion. Dr Bhabendranth Saikia memorial all Asom drawing competition was held in two groups on October 27 and 28 Suman Goswami, Amarjit Barman and Mridul Kumar Sharma bagged the honours in Group ‘A’ while Debolakhya Saha, Dipshikaha Boro and Dipankar Barman in Group ‘B’.

In the solo Assamese modern dance competition, Konkona Saikia, Prarthana Priyadarshini and Priyarshi Kalita won the top three awards. In the various singing competitions, Sukanya Singh, Emon Kalya Saikia and Priyalakshimi Goutam were the winner in the Jyoti Sangeet category; Priatiksya Gogoi and Mansi Rabha, Himadri Barman, Emonkalyan Saikia in the Bishnu Rabha category.

In the literary events, Dikhita Nath, Dhiran Das and Madan Kalita won the awards in the essay competition; Chintu Moni Bhuyan, Manas Das, Dhritishree Das in the story writing competition; Monalisa Gogoi, Bibek Das, Dipak Kalita in poetry competition. Khagendranath Talukdar was the appointed speaker and Jitendranath Thakuria the chief guest on the occasion.

The prize giving ceremony will take place at the Pragiyoti Cultural Institute. Machkhowa, Guwahati on December 22 from 2 pm.

Source: Child development conference held, The Sentinel, Guwahati, 6 November 2007.

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The ‘furry’ therapists

The saying that ‘dogs are a man's best friend’ has assumed a new dimension. Not only are they loyal compassions but they also are turning out to be a big hit with mentally challenged children, and also for children with learning disabilities. ‘Animal assisted therapy’ is slowly being introduced in India largely thanks to Minal Lonkar–Kavishwar and her team of animal–lovers who volunteer to train animals for such therapy at Animal Angels Foundation.

“Pets only know to give love, expecting nothing in return. They can be good friends to the children and excellent listeners,” said Kavishwar.

“Animal assisted therapy helps students with learning disability overcome their inhibitions and boosts their self confidence, as the animals don't talk back. If a child narrates stories or poems to an animal trained for therapy, it really helps the child,” said Kavishwar who runs the foundation in Mumbai, Thane and Pune. The team had experimented with the therapy at the Jungle Book Children's Library in Pune, where children volunteered to read to animals.

The therapy can work wonders even for normal children. Recently the club had experimented with children at EuroKids Pre–school. “Pets like dogs, cats, rabbits were taken to the school and at a day–long seminar on ‘introduction to animals’ children were made to overcome their inhibitions,” she said. “Animal therapy helps in inculcating values like empathy, compassion, sympathy and responsibility. If a child with a tendency to bully is told to look after a pet, he/she ends up parenting the animal. This immediately makes the child feel more responsible and calm down,” Kavishwar said.

One such dog, Kutty who now four and a half years old, is working as an assistant therapist at Jidd School in Thane for special children. “Kutty is like one of the teaching staff. She waits outside the door when the kids get out of the bus, monitors them during lunch, and also plays with them. If they don't go to class after the bell she howls at them, but never harm them,” said Shyamsri Bhosale, owner of Kutty and principal of Jidd School.

“In school, there are several success stories scripted around Kutty. One such story is about Sharukh who did not speak a word. However, after meeting Kutty, the first word that he uttered was ‘Kutty’,” Bhosale said.

Kutty, was recently voted the world's most ‘socially helpful dog’ on an online poll. She will soon be conferred with the Beyond Limits Award by the Delta society, a Washington based organisation, for the outstanding work she had done as animal therapist after the 7/11 train blasts.

Source: Jinal Shah. ‘Pawsitive therapy’ for kids with learning disability, mentally challenged. The Indian Express. 16 November 2007.

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Starkey India distributes hearing aids

Rakhi and Aayush study in Roorkee School for the Deaf, They've had a long tiring day traveling to Delhi, but they are excited too. Just as their parents. Their father works at petrol pump as a cleaner in Bhagwanpur, in the district of Uttar Pradesh. He hopes his children, who are all dumb and deaf, will get a new life soon. They do, when on their arrival in Delhi, they are given free hearing aids by US-based Starkey Foundation, which manufactures the gadgets. The founder and CEO of Starkey, William F Austin came to India with his wife to personally supervise the exercise of fitting hearing aids on to these children.

Shweta, another such deaf child studying in Class V and daughter of a potter in a nearby village in Roorke Deaf School is also very happy to get a hearing aid. It's different life altogether now for her.

According to S C Handa, an advisor to Roorkee School for the Deaf, located at II'T Campus at Roorkee, a normal human being can hear up to 70 decibels and a loss of this can be overcome with the help of a hearing aid. But these children have a loss of more than 90 decibels, which is called profound loss.

With the help of these hearing aids, they can realize sound and discriminate speech. They can also raise their awareness levels and the vibration levels can help develop speech. A pair of hearing aids costs Rs 30,000 and most of these children who are fitted with these aids come from poor backgrounds, so buying them would be way out of reach.

But now there is hope. In a two–day camp in New Delhi, Starkey India has fitted 700 children with their specially–designed hearing aids. Austin said: “Starkey is blessed to be able to do such good work. I am happy to serve these children, who can benefit from our technology. This will help them grow up to be as carefree as any normal child and as independent hopefully. I hope to come to India again and serve more such children.”

The camp included more than 200 children with hearing problems and was spread over northern India, which include places like Delhi, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Jaipur, Nainital, Dehradun, Muzzafarnagar, Merrut, among others.

These schools were identified by Starkey India and over a period of two months, ear impressions of each child were taken which were then sent to the company headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to be converted into ear–moulds.

So far, Austin has been a blessing for hundreds of children from across the globe. In fact, since 2000, the Starkey Hearing Foundation has provided more than 130,000 hearing aids to those in need around the world.

Let's hope they carry on the good work and, literally, lend a ear to those in need

Source: For those who must hear, Financial Express, New Delhi, 11 November 2007.

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