Human chain formed to create awareness of deafblindness

on Monday, June 27, 2011

Human chain formed to create awareness of deafblindness

“We should help brighten up their lives through early intervention and put them through normal schools”

Under an overcast sky on Monday evening, about 750 pairs of hands linked together to form a human chain. It comprised differently-abled children, parents and teachers. The National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMD) commemorated the 131st birth anniversary of Helen Keller to create awareness of deafblindness.

“These children are asking for empathy and not sympathy. This human chain is to create awareness so we can extend a supporting hand,” said Neeradha Chandramohan, Director, NIEPMD. Early screening for conditions in children can help them sooner, she said.

Children from various schools and NGOs held placards with Helen Keller's messages. One read, ‘If you give me your eyes and ears, first I would like to see my teacher,' referring to Keller's teacher Anne Sullivan. A student P.Vijayasaradhi from the Government Higher Secondary School for the Blind, who was reading Helen Keller's life history on Braille, said, “I hope our community will support us the same way Helen Keller's community supported her.”

Kannegi Packianathan, Secretary to the Department for the Welfare of Differently Abled Persons, congratulated all the participants. “It was very nice to interact with children who are so cheerful and excited. We should help brighten up their lives through early intervention and put them through normal schools, which will give them a good quality of life,” said Ms. Packianathan.

“My child has autism and through therapy at NIEPMD I can see tremendous improvement since he joined three years ago,” said V.Laksmanaperumal, father of 13-year-old Guruprakash. Six-year-old Nithysaree's mother feels the speech therapy, occupational therapy and yoga classes that her child receives has helped her. Children from the Clarke school for the Deaf and Mentally Retarded, National Institute for the Visually Handicapped- Regional Centre, CSI Higher Secondary School for the Deaf, Dr. M.G.R Higher Secondary School for the Speech and Hearing Impaired, St.Louis School and College for the Deaf and the Blind, Government Higher Secondary School for the Blind and Little Flower Convent participated in this event organised by NIEPMD.

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