Resource rooms by Changathikootam make homes friendly for the differently abled

The resource room at the home of Sherin at Ayavana panchayat set up under Samagrashiksha Kerala.

Thirteen-year-old Sherin (name changed) has a new companion since Wednesday, a radio complete with FM, Bluetooth, and a slot for a pen drive.

The differently abled homeschooler has fallen in love with the new gift, which is part of arranging a resource room at his home at Ayavana grama panchayat by the Kalloorkkad block resource centre here in connection with the Changathikootam project being implemented under the Samagra Shiksha Kerala.

The Class VII student used to go to school till last year.

“The hardships of his conveyance to school made us choose homeschooling, though he does go to school once in a while. The resource room is really helpful and that radio has dislodged television as his favourite equipment at home,” said his father.

The project aims at making the homes of children unable to go to school differently abled-friendly. Sherin’s home is the first to get a resource room within the Kaloorkkad block.

Physiotherapy

“We have identified one such child from each of the four panchayats within Kalloorkkad sub-district. Resource rooms at the homes of the other three children will be set in the coming days. Initially, basic equipment for physiotherapy and mind practices, radio, and a cupboard for their safekeeping will be set up,” K.S. Rasheeda, block programme officer, told The Hindu .

The equipment may change based on the needs of the child concerned. Specially trained educators with the block resource centre will visit the homes every Wednesday and train them.

All 15 block resource centres in the district are in the process of setting up similar resource rooms for differently abled children.

“Under the project, the teachers and classmates of these students visit them at their homes, at least once a month. They give gifts to those children and hold cultural programmes to entertain them,” said Ms. Rasheeda.