This project is supported by the Department of Social Security & Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of Odisha. Various activities undertaken during the reporting period are as follows:
- Nutrition kits provided to the beneficiaries of Salia Sahi, Puri during May and August 2021.
- Regular physiotherapy and speech therapy are provided to the beneficiaries at OLS, Bhubaneswar, and Puri by engaging the physiotherapists and the speech therapist.
- Hygiene kits were distributed to all the 56 beneficiaries.
- Home visits were made during the lockdown period to extend the services at the doorstep.
- 40 beneficiaries including 10 of Salia Sahi and 30 of the Child Care Institution of OLS were provided physiotherapy and speech therapy for 5 days a week at the campus of OLS, Bhubaneswar.
- Regular psychosocial and psychopersonal therapeutic interventions are also provided by the psychologist.
- A counseling session for parents of the beneficiaries of Puri District was organized at Puri. Ms. Arpita 28 Mohapatra coordinated the entire session. Ms. Dipti Das, Member of CWC Puri, and Ms. Sagarika Sahoo, Principal, Centre for Special Education of Children with Cerebral Palsy, OLS gave their valuable suggestions in this technical session.
- In Bhubaneswar, the interaction with the parents is being conducted once a week where the progress of the beneficiary vis a vis the progress envisaged in the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and the support of the parents are discussed. The special educator and the psychologist engaged in interacting with the parents.
- Some of the residential beneficiaries of OLS imparted training on Rakhi and Diya making by the vocational training instructor. Some of the beneficiaries also received training on food serving, selling groceries, and other food items. As there is a felt need for engaging the older beneficiaries in making Diya for the occasion of Diwali, vocational training like bakery, laundry, grocery outlet, restaurant, housekeeping, etc., it was decided to engage the services of a Vocational Training Instructor. Some of them received training in the bakery and the laundry too. The objective is to develop their skills to make them independent or to be in a position to work with minimal assistance and supervision.
- Two of the beneficiaries from Bhubaneswar participated in the 61st State Swimming Championship held at the Biju Patnaik Swimming Complex at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on 23rd and 24th September 2021 jointly conducted by 29 the Odisha Swimming Association and the Department of Sports & Youth Services, Government of Odisha. It was an untiring effort of Ms. Arpita Mohapatra, an internationally acclaimed swimming coach who strove for the promotion of inclusion. Her efforts bore fruit as Dadhichi and Priyaranjan learned swimming and practiced under her supervision before being allowed to participate in the prestigious state championship. They not only participated but also received medals from the Joint Secretary of the Government of Odisha.
- It is decided that Nutrition and Hygiene kits shall be distributed to all the beneficiaries every 3 months.