UDAAN
Our special school for challenged children, appropriately named UDAAN, meaning taking FLIGHT, was inaugurated on 1st August, 2013 on the ground floor of our Jan Seva premises. Udaan brings succour to those families with disabled children who have no means to care for them.
The children with special needs from the local community are identified and assessed for their individual needs and challenges. We focus on the issues of identification of children with disability, inclusive education, need-based intervention at home, vocational rehabilitation and health care. We work towards empowering them and their families, using local resources within the community and establishing links for referral services.
Our major objective is to serve the community and bring these children into mainstream society. Most of these children live under the most difficult circumstances and have never received any form of intervention. Fortunately for them they have found their way to our Centre where they are provided with free special education, nutrition, medical facilities, Physiotherapy and prosthetics, Occupational therapy, Speech Therapy and counselling. With our free services we try to ensure the development of individual skills of each child according to their capabilities.
Children from the neighbouring slums have been identified with several disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy, slow learners, speech impairment, severely delayed developmental milestones, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down’s Syndrome, ADHD, Hearing Impairment and others. After professional assessments, appropriate intervention is advised to the parents. Customised furniture is made and provided to suit the child’s individual needs and necessities.
6 children from Udaan who have been mainstreamed into other schools have been chosen to join our educational support program to continue their education. We are proud of these 6 children and their families to continue with determination to overcome all odds.
Awareness programmes are also conducted for the community as well as our staff. The focus has been on addressing specific issues of disability, rehabilitation and rights of disabled people and on strategies to include them in community development programmes.
Over the years, Udaan has touched several lives! Our success stories speak for themselves.
“Touch Some Hearts” says Dr. Zarin Dadina, Chairperson Emeritus SICW. A heartfelt message, seeking your kindness.
FLYING HIGH
We thank our donors sponsors for providing such opportunity to the needy and the have-nots of our society who are specially challenged. But despite all challenges many of them have success stories to tell us which are elucidated below.
Initially Deep Majhi was admitted to the Creche section of Janseva . He was a very shy boy. He did not interact and talk much with his peer group. He lacked in socialization. He is a slow learner.
He was then sent to UDAAN for individual care and to overcome his difficulty in communication and socialization. He is attending classes in UDAAN since February, 2017. Deep has improved greatly in socialization. He is participating in all events of the classroom.
He is a very friendly and jovial boy. He is very cordial with his peer group. He is very attentive in his class. He follows all instructions. He has improved greatly in academics also. He can recite rhymes. He participated in the cultural program on stage in Jan Seva. He loves playing cricket and football.
Deep with his Mother at Jan Seva Udaan
Initially when he joined the ‘Udaan Creche’ in ‘Jan Seva’ for special children, he had no speech and lacked communication skill. After attending our special school he learnt to perform all his daily activities independently. He showed remarkable improvement in developed speech and communication. He also performed well in academics. He learnt to recite rhymes and poems, counting, writing, arithmetic, drawing. He has great interest in games and sports.
Observing his overall development and progress, his parents were advised to introduce the him to an integrated formal school. He appeared in the admission exam in ‘Chittaranjan Higher Secondary School’ and was successful! Hence, got admission in the school for the academic year 2018-19 and is now attending regular classes there.
Sajid with his Mother at Jan Seva Udaan
Initially Debangshu used to speak in a gurgling manner and his speech was unclear. His desire to communicate through speech is very moving. He can now speak much clearly. He eats everything. He plays with his brother and likes to go for jolly rides. He knows Bengali alphabets. He can count numbers in Bengali and English and can recite Bengali poems and English rhymes,too. He has been provided with a special cut chair in 'Udaan' special school and is very responsive and attentive in class. Debangshu has been provided with a pair of BK shoes and can even stand for some time. He can pick up small bits of biscuits and put them in his mouth independently.
At present he is attending an integrated school, known as ‘Sarada Vidyapith’ twice a week for his formal education.
Debangshu has an indomitable interest and persistence to do all activities. This attempt of the little boy is praise worthy and appreciable.