Samagra Shiksha, Keralam, has launched ‘Onachangathi’, a project to help bed-ridden differently abled children celebrate Onam with their peers.
According to S.Y. Shooja, State Programme Officer, it is an extension of the ‘Changathikkoottam’ project launched last year which promoted groups of children and teachers visiting the houses of bed-ridden differently abled children during holidays and weekends to provide them home-based education. They were also engaged in extra-curricular activities.
Members of children’s groups were chosen from schools where differently abled kids were enrolled. Resource rooms with adjustable cots, laptops, and study tables were set up at the houses of 672 children.
The project, launched initially in Kozhikode district, was later extended to other places as well. It had helped differently abled children improve their communication skills among others.
“The effort is to enliven the lives of children. As part of the Onachangathi project, children’s groups are visiting the houses of 6,084 children under various block resource centres across the State. They will also give ‘Onappudava’ and other gifts to their differently abled friends. Games and rendering of Onam songs will follow,” Mr. Shooja said. ‘Onappookkalams’ (floral decorations) will be made on the premises, and the bed-ridden students will be served with a sumptuous Onasadya, he added.
Mr. Shooja said that house visits would continue till Thiruvonam day on September 11 and might be extended till the end of the vacation.
The project has already been launched in Palakkad, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, and Thrissur, he added.