Karnataka - Bangalore

A day of fun, frolic and friendship

Staff Reporter

Spastics Society of Karnataka launches `Child to Child' initiative to mark its silver jubilee

STRIKING A CHORD: Children of Spastics Society of Karnataka interacting with their friends at a programme in Bangalore on Wednesday. — Photo: K. Gopinathan

Bangalore: They enjoyed a morning of dance and games and made new friends. After winning prizes in competitions, they also had lunch together.

The Spastics Society of Karnataka (SSK) launched its year-long "Child to Child" programme by inviting 25 pupils from Indiranagar High School in the 9th-12th standard level to spend the morning visiting and partaking in different social activities with 15 spastic children.

The aim of the programme was to allow the children to interact with one another other and make friends.

A variety of games were organised, including a "newspaper dance", charades and a treasure hunt, whereby each child was paired up with a child from the other school to make up a team.

Prizes distributed

Prizes were awarded to the winners, followed by an exchange of friendship bracelets and lunch together.

Sonal, studying in Indiranagar High School, said: "Before coming here, I did not know what to expect. I have never interacted with such children with special needs. But I found it very easy to talk to them: you just have to act frankly. We need that sense of humour to make the initial effort and then they are very comfortable."

Vishnu, who studies with the Society, said: "I really enjoyed the morning. My favourite part was the treasure hunt. I enjoyed interacting with new friends."

Last year, children from the society and Indiranagar High School had a joint celebration on Independence Day. Children from different schools in Bangalore have been volunteering as scribes to help the children with special nmeeds. Principal of SSK Indira Dave said: "Previously special needs pupils were segregated but they need to be exposed to normal behaviour. Socially appropriate behaviours are difficult to teach in a classroom."

Programmes such as these provide exposure for them as well as for the other children, who need to learn how to deal with disabled people.

The initiative is to be followed up by more events designed to raise awareness about special needs children throughout this year. November will include the Walkathon for Inclusiveness, which all members of society are invited to join, while December will see a stage-production of The Lion King, in which all SSK pupils will be involved.

Broadening horizon

Director of SSK, Rukmini Krishnaswamy, said: "While we have done some good work, it is now time for us to broaden our horizon and reach out to more children affected by cerebral palsy. To enable us to do this we appeal to individuals and corporates to help us in expanding our horizons."

Any willing donors can contact SSK at 080-25281831 or visit www.spasticsocietyofkarnataka.org.

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