A recent survey showed that there are more than 500 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.150 and Rs.200. 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?
