Educating young blind children for a better future

Farah is a 6 year old girl who lives with her parents. She is the eldest and the only child. She was diagnosed with Hypoxic Ischaemic Enephalopathy and cerebral palsy. She is slow and delayed in her development.

When she was first attended to in April 2009, she was only able to lie down and not able to react to any form of stimulation. Her parents were depressed and worried about her future and were not sure what to do.

After being in the Early Intervention Programme (EIP), she is now able to eat soft food and drink milk given to her in the bottle. She can move her neck and respond by making a sound when she cries and is able to recognize her parents’ voices. She cannot do much as she is still an infant and is just learning to sit up and move about.

Farah is trained in six different skill sets which are cognitive, language, social, motor skills, gross motor and daily living. One of the annual goals set for her for the year 2013 is to be able to explore new objects with both hands systematically. After being trained a few times, she is now able to shake toys attached with strings or bells.

She is also now alert to a wide range of auditory stimulation. She repeats the sounds that she hears such as the teachers’ voice, bell ringing sound and drum sound. She also responds to signals through gestures such as waving hand and clapping. In terms of motor skills, she is able to turn her head and her eyes are able to follow the lights. Also, she can feel and explore objects with her hands and mouth.

Now, her parents are all out to look into her needs. Her mother often stimulates her by talking to her and telling her what is happening around the house. They are committed to do everything possible so that she can lead an independent life in future.

One major objective of the Early Intervention Program is to educate children like Farah to adapt to a normal school environment. The teachers of the EIP work closely together with the children and their parents in order to develop their cognitive skills in functional academic skills such as paying attention, reading and writing braille, memory and participation skills. The Early Intervention Program has enabled Farah to lead a more independent life on the long term.

Your donations and generous contributions are the reasons that our children could blossom and build up their self-confidence. These kids are learning new skills in a safe and caring environment which is helping them to create a better future. We hope that you will continue to share your compassion for them. You can help us to continue planting the seeds of success and make a difference in the lives of these special children.