A Day to Remember...

A Day to Remember...

A Day with God's Children😇

  Special education is the practice of educating students with special educational needs in a way that addresses their individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials and accessible settings. These interventions are designed to help individuals with special needs achieve a higher level of personal self-sufficiency and success in school and in their community, that may not be available if the student were only given access to a typical classroom education. In accordance with with this in several part of the world min special schools schools was started to support the special children. In india, under India's Disability Act (1995), children with disabilities have the right to free education up to the age of 18. Other rights include provisions such as transportation, scholarships, and free uniforms, books and teaching materials. Children with special needs have access to special schools providing non-formal education and vocational training.

As a part of our Community Living Camp 'ARAMAM' 2018, on the second day we paid a field visit to a special school near Kaniyapuram named Sahajeevan Special School. With high aspiration to bring light to lives, over shadowed by disability, Focus Forth India, Sahajeevan emerged out in 1999. Rendering training along with ample care to bring them and their families up with the contemporary social standards was its prime concern. On 9th August 2000, marked the formal beginning of Sahajeevan, though the services were endow with to the mentally handicapped children and their families in the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram District even earlier. It started with the support of some kind hearted and well wishers. Founder, President Shri Brahma Nayakam Mahadevan sir is the soul and foundation of this institution as because of him this institution has gained recognition and name in the society.

About Sahajeevann School
The school was established in 2004 and it is managed by the Pvt. Unaided agency. It is located in Rural area  in Kaniyapuram block of Thiruvanathapuram district of Kerala. The school consists of grades from 1 to 8. The school is co-educational and it doesn't have an attached pre-primary section. The school is not applicable in nature and is not using school building as a shift-school. Malayalam is the medium of instructions in this school. This school is approachable by all weather road. In this school academic session starts in April. The school has rented building. It has got 5 classrooms for instructional purposes. All the classrooms are in good condition. It has 2 other rooms for non-teaching activities. The school has a separate room for Head master/Teacher. The school has strong boundary wall. The school has have electric connection. The source of drinking water in the school is well and it is functional. The school has two boys toilet and two girls toilet and it is functional. The school has a playground. The school has a library and has 300 books in its library. The school does not need ramp for disabled children to access classrooms. The school has 6 computers for teaching and learning purposes and all are functional. The school is not having a computer aided learning lab. The school is not applicable providing mid-day meal.
This Centre, which started its working in a humble way, now avails the service of Special Educators, Teaching Assistants, Clinical Psychologist, Physiotherapists, Speech Therapists, Vocational Trainers, Yoga Trainer and Dance/Music Teachers Ayahs and Administration staffs, sufficiently to satisfy the requirement of holistic development of our children. The organisation could gain the cheer of successfully conducting the District Level Special Olympic Meet and The State Level Special Olympic Meet for the Mentally Handicapped in 2000 and 2001 respectively. And also Shri Brahma Nayakam Mahadevan bagged the prestigious National Youth Award in 2000 instituted by the Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India for outstanding voluntary service.

On 7 February, 2018 we paid a visit to Sahajeevan. We left from the college at 11 am and reached there by 11.30 am. We all sat in the school auditorium which was on the terrace. A welcome speech was given by a teacher present there and then Vimla Kumari mam Principal also addressd  the students. Then Sibi sir, a teacher working there introduced us to the school and took us to the world of sahajeevan.

He started his speech with the words 'Manasu Nannavatte' and it was really true and inspirational words that came from his heart which moved us. He gave an idea of how the students are given care and love from the school and how we should also consider them as a member of the society and should consider them as a part of our life. His talk gave us new insight.

Then an activity was given to us as he divided all the students from a college into different group and each groups were given 5-6 number of students from their school. The task was that we have to make them do some activity and the time allotted was 20 minutes. I got a group of 7-8 boys I was very happy to meet them. I met a boy named abhijith who sang danced very well. All of them were very happy to meet us. We made them sing a song dance and also made them do rain clap.

After 20 minutes everyone assembled on the auditorium where every group presented their programme. All were very happy and the experience we had there was very beautiful which can't be expressed in words. We had a different perception of our life and the experience that we had their moved everyone and made us think of all these special kids. They were extraordinary and were special in their own way. After the program Sibi sir said that, this is what they want, this is the things that we can do for them, just spend some time with them, love them, care them, appreciate them. By doing so unknowingly the society will accept them. They are normal like us but god has given them some power which ubnormal people like us will never understand. Thus two hours spend in Sahajeevan gave us a new insight and perception in life and  an understanding that we are nothing before them.

It was a mesmerising experience which  can't just be expressed in words. And by 1:30 pm we left from sahajeevan to college cherishing many good memories and getting a new experience in life which will be there in our heart. forever.