In a novel initiative aimed at liberating the visually impaired children from a feeling of inferiority and despondence and enabling development of all-round skills, confidence and capabilities, the JPM Rotary Eye Hospital and Research Institute in association with the State Government and Sightsavers International has launched a skill development programme for such young ones.
As many as 50 children, including 30 visually challenged and 20 general children, have taken part in the 10-day short-duration programme that focuses on developing academic and daily living skills among them. The programme was inaugurated by State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities Kasturi Mohapatra here on Monday. The children would be imparted training on daily living activities like proper mobility skills, including recognising and negotiating barriers and hurdles, sensory development and other routines. They would also be imparted training on metal development, braille script reading, writing and typing, sports and games.
Besides, vocational training like bamboo craft and toy making will also be imparted to them. The objective is to enable these children to grow up as confident persons capable of leading lives with dignity without becoming dependent or burden on anyone. They should be able to do all their things themselves and in no way feel inferior or deprived.
“The major step in that direction is including normal children with them for the training”, programme coordinator Alok Sahoo said. The skill development programme would be a continuous affair with batches of children drawn from different districts, he added.
State Coordinator of of Odisha Disabled Peoples’ Association S K Behera, chairman of Rotary Club of Cuttack Charitable Trust Dr Subasini Lenka and JPM Rotary Eye Hospital president Surya Prasad Mishra were present.