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Committed to a cause
FROM CHARITY to human rights, there has been a paradigm shift in the attitude of society towards the disabled over the past couple of decades. And today with the efforts of the NGOs and the media, a fairly large number of people with handicapped relatives are aware to some extent of the various services available for the physically challenged. However, these are mostly the urbanites' benefits. This is where the Spastics Society of Tamil Nadu (SPASTN) comes into the picture.
SPASTN, a voluntary organisation, starts its activities by creating awareness in villages, continues its work with screening of newborn babies in primary health centres and government hospitals, and offers a wide range of options to the parents of disabled children from a special school setting to integration and inclusive education systems.
Under its inclusive education programme, SPASTN distributes aids and appliances in around 800 schools around the State. Among its job-oriented courses are a vocational training programme for those afflicted with cerebral palsy and a recent project called `Able Art', where young people with multiple disabilities are given two years training in desk top publishing, food processing, printing, weaving, stationery and tailoring.
In fact it goes to prove SPASTN's commitment to the dignity of human life that the organisation has bagged this year's national award for Barrier Free Environment.
SANGEETH KURIAN
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