M Swathi and I Afsana are a picture of focus weaving colourful doormats on the handloom machine. When called out, they look up occasionally with a shy smile. But their hands and feet don’t stop pushing the pedal on the machine and sifting the colourful threads for a combination and design of their choice.
“Of the eight children who learn this craft, these two girls are the best and are able to weave at least two door mats each in an hour,” says their school principal P Dhanasundari.
The end product , a small door mat or a slightly bigger rug, look neat and professionally done and are sold in the open market for Rs.40 each.
Madurai, Tamil Nadu, 07/07/2019. Students of Shine School for special children involve themselves in day long multiple activities apart from academics. Photo; G. Moorthy/ The Hindu
So what is special about the girls and the mats? Afsana is a Down Sydrome child while Swati suffers from MR (Mental Retardation). They are students of Shine School in Y Puthupatti where various therapies help them to overcome mental and physical obstacles.
“Each time they complete a task, it is an achievement for them, their parents and teachers,” says Dhanasundari.
At the far end of the corridor P Sudarshan, a cerebral palsy affected child jumps in and out of colourfully painted old tyres. He does it with absolute concentration following his teachers instructions to the T. Autistic twins Sriram Prasad and Lakshmana Prasad are the happiest when in the gym complete with stationary bike, aerobic stepper, free weights and abdominal crunches.
It is a happy sunny morning when the school looks no different from any other regular school with a dozen classrooms and a big playground resounding with activities.
Only 13-year-old Jawahar S, lets out shrill cries intermittently. “A down syndrome child, he lost his mother three months ago and feels her absence,” says his class teacher T Jyothi, hugging him tight. “He is unable to express his emotions. “The seven hours he spends with us in school, we keep him engaged in games, music, art and cooking besides studies,” she adds.
The positive vibes are visible in the school started and run by three mothers whose children are affected by cerebral palsy. They have shown how caregivers can help children struggle with emotions and behaviour. It was at the turn of the millennium that N Mythily, S Visalakshi and S Uma Maheshwari met at a physiotherapy clinic.
The women from different backgrounds were fighting the same battle; to improve the lives of their boys -- Kannan, Krishna and Gowtham.
"Not knowing anything then, during the initial years I kept Kannan protected in an air conditioned room. At the age of nine I put him in a school for the first time. Eleven years later when he had to change the school because the teacher left, no other institution was willing to give him admission. "I begged but they said, he was old for a school at 20,"" says Mythili. That is when she thought of starting her own school for the sake of her son. And she found willing ally in Visalakshi and Uma.
There were too many emotional issues and as caregivers we were physically exhausted too," says Visalakshi. "Pooling in our resources, ideas, energies for the safe keep of our children appealed to all of us," adds Uma.
But what the trio had not imagined was the rapid growth of the school – they named Shine. “Because we feel, these children are also born to shine and when they get right guidance and love, their achievements are no less,” says Mythily.
The Shine School started with three children from rented premises in 2003. With no prior training the three mothers self-developed a syllabus for the children they thought would suit them the best. Word spread fast about their inclusive curriculum with speech, occupational and physiotherapy. Soon it became difficult to handle 117 more admissions and in 2012 they decided to build their own school.
Finding 1.5 acres in Y Pudhupatti was a dream come true and brick by brick they built a beautiful space for making the lives of their children more meaningful. They get periodic tips for improvisations from the Madras Vidya Sagar School in Chennai. But it is the patience of these mothers and the dedication of the staff that is helping the students to transform in their own little way.
“Our aim is to improve their lives than be condemned,” says Mythily. Our dream, says Uma, is still a work in progress.
The team wants to add a swimming pool for hydrotherapy and community living for future. So far regular training in the playground, sensory park and gym has helped the children master various sports, including the traditional silambattam, and return with medals from several inter-school competitions.
“We just have to tap into their potential. Their progress is slow but we should not lose our patience or hope,” says Visalakshi.
