By Kate Robey | Charitable Trust Operations Manager
Dear Supporters,
Today we would like to share news about the renewed partnership between GVI and Raksha.
About Raksha Special Needs School:
Raksha is a special needs school that has dozens of students; ranging from 18-month-old children in the early intervention unit right the way up to the 20-year-old men and women in the vocational unit. The children have a huge range of impairments such as muscular dystrophy, Down ’s Syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism and developmental delay. The school has passionate staff despite limited teachers and resources and the children are a delight to work with.
GVI's Role:
After a 12 month gap, health volunteers have started to build upon the already working relationship between GVI Kerala and the staff at Raksha. A steady stream of volunteers have been working at Raksha over the last few months; including 2 occupational therapists, a music therapist and other volunteers with varying degrees of health experience. The staff expressed the desperate need occupational therapists to assess certain children so that the teachers knew what areas needed help developing. The volunteers were more than happy to assist.
The partnership:
The assessments were lots of fun, especially when more resources were acquired such as a mini trampoline, toy tuk-tuks and drums! Following the assessments goals were set to try and develop the children in various ways. As well as the assessments, the volunteers have also been involved with the vocational students to help train them ready for employment at a local hotel. We were also fortunate to have a trainee- music therapist volunteer who completed some valuable music workshops that were very noisy but extremely beneficial to the children who took part in them.
Another exciting project that the volunteers participated in was the redecoration of one of the classrooms. This was not just a beautification project, it was to improve the learning environment to help with engagement, education and sensory work. The bare walls soon were covered with a mural. The room now had educational props like numbers, shapes, colours and objects. The children, teachers and volunteers were delighted with the result and can’t wait to start using it!
The relationship between GVI and Raksha is really developing and exciting changes are about to happen with regards to focused, structured, therapeutic activities and encouragement of the more able students to develop academically – all thanks to the volunteers, GVI staff, Raksha staff and more importantly the enthusiasm and sheer joy from the children.
Watch this space!
With Gratitude,
GVI India
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