Around 80+ autistic children, their parents, staff and Intel
volunteers had an awesome outing in Ramagiri forest last weekend. The outing
was funded by the Intel Social Initiative Contest, 2016 grant. The main
highlights of the outing:
1.
Mud pool play therapy for the autistic kids.
This was to provide sensory stimulations to the children. We also had few of
the kids lying down in the mud pool, without a care in the worldJ
2.
Rope activities with one simple ground rule: The
volunteer/staff assigned to every child had to make sure that the child did the
rope activities, overcoming their inhibitions and facing their fears. It was
only after the adults(parents/staff) tried out the rope activities, that we
realized how difficult the rope courses actually were!
a. One
child who was non-verbal was finding it difficult to do any of the activities.
That is when, the volunteer worked with the child in doing the activities with
him and lo behold, a few words of encouragement and he was doing the
activities. He was all smiles after finishing the “crawling under the net”
activity.
3.
Water rafting: The kids love any water based
activity. Some of them would break into a song and enjoy the bonding with
nature
4.
Campfire: The children and the parents put
together a 1 minute talent show. Most of them displayed oodles of talent in
dance and singing.
5.
Rain dance: After the rain dance, we had one kid
chanting dinkachika dinkachika, clearly communicating that he wasn’t quite done
with the rain dance activity.
6.
Trek to Ramagiri: We had the autistic kids hold
hands with their classmates and walk along, something which never happens in the
classroom setup.
7.
Overnight camping in tents: While the adults
anticipate issues, the kids make it seem all easy!
8.
Early morning yoga session: Simple exercises and
breathing techniques to bond with nature
Over the years, we have seen so many improvements in the
children. Kids have gotten better with verbal communication and others who
don’t communicate verbally have found their means of reaching out to people and
we can see them seek means of managing their anxieties.
Now what you read above is the official version which got published at work....
What I really want to say is that I am so glad I made it to the outing. Bubbles and Sarbani has always been a second home to me. It isn't coz it has been 11+ years, its just that the warmth and the love from Sarbani and Bubbles has been the same since we first worked in volunteering for their annual day event in March, 2006.
Sarbani talks/eats/sleeps/breathes Bubbles. It is rare to find someone so committed and who has made it her life's purpose to improve the conditions for these kids. She dreams about setting up a vocational unit, to make them self-sufficient, independent!
Sid had a lovely lovely time too....at the mud pool, rain dance...he quickly figured out that Sarbani was the boss there...and went around conveying her instructions to ppl around him...he would also go to her and ask...what activity will we do next?
What can I say about adorable Ileana...her face would light up with smiles...if u smiled at her ...Loved it when she came into my arms for the net activity...
Enjoyed the fun moments spent with Palak and Priya...both of u rock!
Some pictures...
