By Amitav Chakravartty

Mental Disability is not a disease on its own in the Children. However it so happens that certain people are born with this hardship & to care for these person one requires a lot of devotion. With this noble intention, Sky Rehab was established in First of August 2001 with the broad objective of complete care and management of the disabled.

This is indeed a unique center, caring for the numerous children who have certain problem in facing the realities of life. The center is professionally managed to provide quality training to the students as per National Institute for Mentally Handicap (NIMH), Secunderabad guidelines.

It provides special education to those children whose mental growth/development is delayed. The objects, which the center aims to achieve, are numerous. The challenged children should learn to be self-dependent in all spheres of life. Such children should at least know how to make both ends meet.

Joyshree, who decided to join here when she has following experience.

"One day at 2 PM a boy,(ataxic patient) of about 12 years old from Jorhat entered the center. His parents carried him to the place. Teachers took him to the therapy room in a wheelchair where physical assessment like muscle power, ROM was checked and he was asked to come for therapy for a period of five days. Everybody was surprised & happy to see the boy walk after three days of rigorous training sessions.The boy and his parents saw a ray of hope & they were all at smiles".

Sky-Rehab has made many parents of the disable child happy and satisfied with the services provided in the center. The parents have to deal with the fact that some people’s reactions are disappointing. Qualified Rehabilitation Psychologist does parent counseling in this center. The world is tough, even for able-bodied people and for disabled, it is tougher. Sky-Rehab helps these noble souls fit to survive in this beautiful world.

The center started with just three students. Gradually the number is increased and a society was formed by a group of professional’s like minded people to run this professionally. This center was registered under the Society Registration Act of 1860 bearing the Registration number - RS/KAM/240/0/383 of 2002-03.

Cultural program on Children's Day , 14th of November 2009

Purpose of establishing the center:

The organization was established keeping in view of the following purposes:

1. To provide services to the disabled for their socio-economic & cultural upliftment.

2. Special education for the differently abled children.

3. To provide vocational training to make them economically independent.

4. Residential provision for the differently abled children coming from the outside the locality and needy pupil of this locality.

5. To provide facilities & integrate programs for all disable person in the socio-cultural field.

6. To publish a magazine covering all the issues pertaining to this field.

7. Outreach program in rural areas that shall cover identification, early detection, prevention & training program of different disability.

The Sky- Rehab constituted of 3 departments-Indoor, Outdoor and Respite center.

Indoor:

This department is the special day care unit of the Sky-Rehab. It is also called the special education center/ unit. Those children who are not fit to undertake normal academic curriculum comes under the jurisdiction of this department. The training provided in this department is in accordance with the natural ability of the child. The department is at present providing training facilities to a group of 30 children, which is under the surveillance of the professionals of this department. The daily time schedule of this department is form 10 am to 2 pm.

Outdoor:

Children below the age of 2 ½ years who are not yet fit to go to the indoor department are treated here. Children having problem in psychomotor and neuro-motor delay are treated in the outpatient department (OPD) . The department consists of 70 students. The students staying nearby locality attend regularly under a routine schedule. Apart from this there are also children consulting this department coming from distant areas. The department provides their care giver the guidelines to instruct the disabled child. As customary, the secretary of the centre discuss the case history, day to day problem, ability to react or the efficiency of their ward to react on a particular situation. After getting data, the Executive director with the help of staff device specific home based programmed according to the need and ability of the child. The care giver is asked to report the progress of the child from time to time.

Respite center:

Working parents having a disabled child encounter many problems.

Respite centre is a concept which proves a place for those parents who can leave behind their special child while they go for their works.

This center takes full responsibility and trains the child.

Special day care center for children like-

· Mentally retarded

· Cerebral palsy

· Learning disabilities

· Down’s syndrome

· Autistic

Infrastructure:

Sky-Rehab is functioning from rented premises. Since its inception the training aids, furniture, computer, physiotherapy instruments etc. have increased along with the no. of student and staff. So, the centre though is having inadequate space. A physio-occupational therapy unit uses one room. A big hall is used for vocational and computer training. Another two (2) rooms is secretary’s quarter. The small waiting area has an office to interact with the person coming to Sky-Rehab. A wash room and the toilet with an aquarium, cages for ornamental bards are placed for the amusement of the children.

Specialists from several fields work voluntary to provide rehabilitation services in this center.

· Physiotherapist

· Prosthetic and orthotic engineer

· Occupational therapist

· Special educator

· Speech therapist

· Psychiatrist

· Psychologist

· Counselor

· Pediatrician

· Physician

· Vocational Trainer

· Music teacher

Administrative management:

Sky-Rehab is run by eleven executive members. The executive director is responsible for the co-ordination between the administrative and technical side. An account maintained in a nationalized Bank near the centre, records the transaction in a passbook by the treasurer. Fund is collected from the members’ contribution, donation, and grant aid from generous organization. Fee which is very minimal is charged from the parent. Few products made by the children of the center are sold and money is raised.

Method of teaching, medium of instruction and curriculum:

Method of teaching is devised keeping in view a particular goal to achieve. The goal is divided in two parts:

• Short term goal for students who come for a short period of time. Here they are taught the art of writing their names, doing their day to day duties.

• Long term goal for those who attend regularly. The attainment is not completed till the child become independent. The child’s ability modifies their individual goal to reach.
  

In this method teaching of identification, naming, matching methods are followed.

Apart from the usual material used as teaching aids, certain special material prepared by the center itself is used for the purpose of teaching like Clip chart, Bit box, Peg board, sand board, water bath etc.

Medium of instruction is devised according to the mother tongue of the child.

Curriculum is devised according to the ability of the child. The subjects are personal, social, academic, occupational & recreational. Under the recreational subject indoor and outdoor activities are included. The student are taught the art of reading, writing, numbering, color concept, shape concept etc.

The co-curricular activities of the center include game play, gardening, music, art, dance, drama etc.

Achievement:

1. The children took part ion the independent day parade.

2. Many special children are now pursuing normal academic after they took training here.

3. Many have been benefited from our physio -therapy training.

4. Items prepared are in high demand in Guwahati and other parts of Assam.

5. Few have been exposed to social meets.

6. Deputy Commissioner, Kamrup ,Assam, presented Sky-Rehab the best certificate for its social commitments.

7. Local print and electronic media have always been very helpful for our publicity ( some of the links provided at the end of story)
   

8. Many organizations like Guwahati Refinery, Amway, The State Bank of India etc. have donated in kinds.