The Department of Occupational Therapy, School of Allied Health Sciences (SOAHS) and Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal University, along with Lions and Lioness Clubs will initiate a project called ‘Asha” in Udupi district to create awareness about children with learning disability here on November 20.
A release by Manipal University here on Wednesday said the project would involve awareness programmes, teacher education, and screening with the aim to facilitate early intervention. The project will commence with a street play titled, ‘Enable and empower all children’ by students of the Department of Occupational Therapy, and distribution of brochures at public places such as Ajjarkad Park, Malpe beach, near Sri Krishna Mutt and Venugopal Temple and also at Udyavara Government School, on November 21 and 22. In India, around 10 per cent of children have learning disability. Teachers and parents are often unable to understand the child’s difficulties and think of them as dull, mischievous and difficult to manage, the release said. Over the years, it affects the child’s career prospects as some drop out of school, and many others struggle with repeated attempts. Worse, it affects the child’s self-esteem and confidence.
