So differently ABLE
The annual sportsmeet of disabled children:
H L Sunil Shantha, Kalutara Daily News Corr
What kind of a feeling or idea will you have, if there is a disabled
brother or a sister in your family? - a member who has lost vision
(blind), or hearing ability (deaf), or speaking ability (mute) or dumb,
or someone suffering from autism (an autistic child), or down’s
syndrome. Parents who have given birth to such a disabled child will
surely be continuously much worried, down hearted and most-often
desperate for having such an unfortunate, child who behaves very
differently.
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|
Deaf boys
(Under 11) 100m running event |
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| District
Manager,The Institute of Data Management (IDM), Panadura,
Drillishiya Jayawardhana handing over a special gift package to
a winner who is mentally handicapped |
May be, the other family members or their relations also could feel
ashamed! Do you think such a disabled child needs much of your kindness,
sympathy or pity? No, you are completely wrong and mistaken! The
Assistant Director of Education in Special Education, who serves at the
Kalutara Zonal Education Office, Gunapala Nanayakkara, at a discussion
with the ‘Daily News,’revealed that ‘Disabled’ or ‘Mentally Handicapped
Children’ (MHC) do not need anybody’s sympathy or compassion, at all,
but, such children do need the same attention which you have, towards
other normal children in your society.
Yes, this idea intrigued the Daily News (Kalutara) correspondent and
had a rare opportunity to visit the annual sportsmeet of disabled
children who had been brought by their parents and teachers to the
Pothupitiya Maha Vidyalaya playground, Kalutara recently.
The Annual Sportsmeet (better known as Annual Sports ‘festival’) of
the disabled children of the Kalutara Educational Zone was well-organised
at Pothupitiya MV Grounds, by the Special Education (SE) teachers under
the leadership and instructions of Assistant Director of Education (SE),
Gunapala Nanayakkara and Henri Dissanayake (ISA-SE) with the
participation of several PTIs (Physical Training Instructors) under the
patronage of the Kalutara Zonal Education Director Priyani Mudalige.
Differently abled children (better known as mentally retarted or
mentally handicapped children) did not seem to be sad or despondent or
‘helpless’ at all! Instead they looked ‘overjoyed’ at the playground,
with their parents and teachers.
The under 13 (Blind Boys) (100m) running event was realy attractive
and of much thrilling to the viewers.
All the blind boys, with a smile, kicked off, just at the ‘clappers’
time and finished the 10m running event while several boys fell-down on
the way!
Deaf (Young) girls who took part in discuss-throw event was also
interesting and several PTIs were judges at that event. The most
fascinating event was the mentally retarted small girls (U – 11) 75m –
running event.
“When we see these young girls who take part in such sports and games
with a lot of potential and talent, sometimes the audience or any viewer
will not have the feeling that they are genuinely disabled, they are
such able-minded children,”
said the Kalutara Zonal Director of Education Priyani Mudalige,
speaking at the opening ceremony.
“These children too are our own children, they need much of your
attention and care.
I do not think that you should marginalise them, I do not think that
these disabled children should remain as poor, helpless children among
us.
They too have some hidden talent and ability which, we most probably,
do not have. We, as elders should always look into their problems, needs
and wants.”
Institute of Data Management (IDM), Panadura District Manager
Drillishiya Jayawardhana offered several gift packages to disabled
children who were victorious at each event, which she had arranged,
under the patronage of the Chairman of IDM, Colombo Head Office.
The winning competitors of the sportsmeet, were awarded certificates
by Gunapala Nanayakkara, at the end of the event. |
