Lending a shoulder
Most
of us would pass by a challenged child on the street without stopping. Perhaps click
our tongues in sympathy before moving on. The good Samaritan in us lies
somewhere buried within and the faint stirrings of the conscience quieten down as
soon as they appear. But there are a few, and they are a microscopic minority
who view matters such as these in a totally different perspective.
Charged
with a passion to render some help to these children they set about their task
of taking them from darkness to light, bringing sunshine into their lives in
short, lighting a candle rather than cursing the darkness. Lending a shoulder
to the disabled is not just an act of compassion, it is more of a duty enjoined
on all of us. Who are able bodied and
who have all our facilities intact.
It
was this spirit that fired a young man namely Narasimha Shenoy who works for
Canara Bank to start a school and care centre for mentally challenged and
disabled children called “Nachiketa Manovikasa Kendra”. “The harrowing sight of
mothers taking their mentally challenged children in transport buses from
Vijayanagar to a special school far away in the city everyday touched a taw
nerve” says Shenoy, explaining the
rational behind his starting the school.
The
plight of the kids who were rarely offered seats in the jampacked buses was
more than he could hear. The Kendra started in Vijayanagar with just six children,
today is home to quite a large number with more and more parents, obviously impressed
with the working of the Kendra, imploring Shenoy to take their wards in.
Shenoy
chose the name; Nachiketa because the character of the same name in the Upanishads
is noted for his moral strength and enquiring mind. The school admits children
after conducting a small test to assess the needs of the student after which a
special course is designed to suit him or her. “The training includes speech
therapy, behavioural therapy, yoga, physiotherapy and also focuses on
developing self help skills”, says Shenoy, whose efforts to rope in the
National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences proved fruitful when the
institute agreed to train two of the school’s teachers in speech therapy.
The
children in the school are trained in skills such as making candles, greeting
cards, painting earthenware, making envelopes and files, tailoring and are also
taught the use of simple tools. The basic idea is to provide these children a
sense of adequacy and inculcating in them the confidence that they can take
their place in society. “The results were wonderful”, gushes Shenoy. “Some
parents, whose children could not even walk, were stunned to see them walking
independently and communicating with the other children, something that they
had never done before”.
The
children are also taken out on the picnics and opportunities are created for
normal children to interact with them. Shenoy has also been successful in
fixing up jobs for the grown up children, who have shown remarkable progress in
nearby garment factories and shops. Although finances have always remained a
problem with the Kendra, dependent almost wholly on donations which have come
in sometimes in a trickie and sometimes in a torrent from organisations like
Canara Bank, The Inner Wheel Club, Rotary Club and Lions Club. Shenoy is
determined to carry on the good work, come what may.
“All
that these children need is love and support and they will be able to stand on
their own feet one day”, says Shenoy. The task is herculean, but not
impossible. What is required is a hearfull of love and that is something that
Shenoy and his teachers possess in abundant measure. The infinite patience that
they display and the care with which they handle these children is ample proof
of their total commitment to a noble cause.
(Information
courtesy: Deccan Herald – 22.02.2002 by C V Aravind)
I should say that Mr. Narasimha Shenoy is certainly a different
person who is committed and
dedicated himself to the cause of upbringing the mentally retarded children. He
deserves all the help and support.
I appeal to all my friends to give Mr. Shenoy, the required
financial and moral support in abundance. Those who live in Bangalore, please
visit the school. I am sure tears will roll in your eyes when you see these
children struggling to accept the challenges of the world. Mr. Shenoy and his
team deserve all Kudos.
Donations to Nachikta Manovikasa Kendra Trust is exempt from IT
under 80G of the IT Act1961
The following are the contact details of the Kendra:
Nachiketa Manovikasa Kendra Trust (Regd)
(Special School for mentally challenged and disabled)
14th Main Road end,
M C Layout,
Vijaynagar,
Bangalore 560040
Phone: 080 – 23110286;
Mobile: N N Shenoy: 96453 70934
Email: nmvktrust@gmail.com
Those who are willing to send their contributions in kind can
reach the trust and handover the same in person or through their
representatives. Donations and contributions can also be sent by way of
cheque/demand draft payable at Bangalore favouring Nachiketa Manovikasa Kendra Trust (Regd)
Working Hours: 9-30 am to 3-00 pm. from Monday to Friday.
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