A fun fair for children with special needs
CHENNAI : It was a day of laughter, dance and delight at the 29th edition of The Shakti Foundation’s annual Children’s Fun Fair at The Music Academy on Saturday. Children from 20 special schools from the city participated. The programme was inaugurated by Sanjeev Subramanian, vice-president, corporate strategy and planning, VST Group, and his wife. It was followed by performances by children and eminent artistes. Over 900 children with disabilities attended the event, accompanied by their teachers and caregivers. The spotlight shone bright on their talent.
“I love being on stage, the rush you feel when people clap and hoot for you is unbeatable,” said Lakshmi, one of the performers. “We generally do not get the opportunity to perform in front of so many people and so we look forward to this event. Getting appreciation from peers is so pleasurable. People enjoyed our dance and all the rehearsing was worth it. We also get to interact with others from different schools who are experiencing the same things as us.”
It wasn’t just the children on stage who were dancing, but also those in the audience who got up and shook a leg to foot-tapping numbers like Jimmiki kammal and Rowdy baby.“It was so much fun to watch my friends perform on stage,” said K Venkatesh. “I love dancing too but I am not as good as them so I danced and cheered in the audience. I had such a nice time today.
I wish we had more events like this. This is something I look forward to every year.” A delectable lunch was served to all the children, their caregivers and school van drivers. Stalls with interactive games, face and tattoo painting, a colouring corner and other activities only added to the cheer. Goodie bags were handed out to every child, adding to their glee.