Dare to dream: Make a difference for our special children

Monday, 2 December 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Enable the Disabled is privileged to host a special interactive workshop for parents, caregivers, teachers and therapists of children with special needs on 8 December at the Lakshman Kadiragamar Institute, Horton Place, Colombo 7 and on 9 December at Eden Café Milagariya Avenue, Colombo 4.

The workshop content is specially designed for parents, caregivers and interested persons who would benefit from learning, interacting, and finding out first hand from an expert in this field, Madam Margaret Nathan, the Proprietor of the Divinity School for Special Needs Ltd., who is very successfully running two such schools in Singapore. Madam Nathan emphasises the benefits of early intervention and how parents and caregivers can train such kids to successfully integrate into mainstream schools and be able to handle and manage their own lives to an extent through training and guidance. Madam Nathan will also provide an opportunity to interested persons to interact with her one a one-on-one basis along with their kids if required. Registrations are fast filling up as this is indeed a one-of-a-kind workshop. ETD is proud to be associated with such a project as we believe that enabling the disabled to become more confident, positive and assertive, to working towards reaching the highest of their potential would result in our nation moving upwards to successfully becoming more disabled friendly. The opening ceremony at 9 a.m. on 8 December at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute will be graced by many well known dignitaries. Nathan looks forward to her visit and if her visit has benefited our Sri Lankans she may even look into franchising such a school in Sri Lanka with the assistance of philanthropists. This is a much-needed venture that will train our citizens to look at autism, Down syndrome and other disabilities in a different light, view people with disabilities as God’s creations and give them a chance to prove that they too can succeed if given the right backing, support, love and

caring required to handle such kids. Any queries may be directed to the President ETD Charmaine Vanderhoeven on 0777305555 or Project Chairperson Jazaya Hassendeen on 0777746735. We welcome those who wish to participate and advise early registrations. Enable the Disabled – Make Sri Lanka a Disabled Friendly Nation.