Give severe handicapped youngsters a future

In 1995 the first Kalama Shishu Niketan day care centre was build in Tapra. Forty children participated. The founder of NIKETAN has supervised building and develop the program of this centre.
An evalution is made of the developmental level of the children, concerning skills on cognitive, social-emotional and motor domains. These findings are the basis of the short and long term goals for the treatment and counseling of the children. Modified to their individual needs, the children receive ADL-training (skills for daily living), sensory integration, pre-school activities, physiotherapy, music lessons and handicrafts. With simple means, adaptation have been made, e.g. special chairs, tables and standing frames.

In 1998 the project has been extended with a day care centre in Baniajuri and in 2001 with a day care centre at Ghior
Another project started in 1998 provides care and support in the homes and villages of the children.

In 1999 a child health centre was established. This child health care centre is managed by one nurse and two fieldworkers. On a yearly basis approximately 130 pregnant women within in area that includes 30 villages receive care and guidance. NIKETAN aims, by means of educating pregnant women and training of traditional midwives, to decrease the number of children with a handicap in the region through prevention.

In 2003 a start has been made with “inclusive education”.

In 2004 vocational training for adolescents started in Baniajuri. There a two courses: 1. Vocational training for adolescents with a physical handicap and 2. Vocational training for adolescents with a mental handicap. Also starts in 2004: an advocacy group. The participants in this group are adolescents with a handicap who try by means of lobbying, contacts with local politicians and businessmen, to influence rules, rights and regulations concerning all handicapped people in the Bangladeshi society.

In 2009 Niketan esthablished a carefarm with residental place for 8 severe handicapped boys.

The activities mentioned above, accumulate to 15 years of experience with managing projects concerning children and adolescents with a physical and/or mental handicap. This experience had led to visits of NGO’s from Pakistan and Koerdistan to the NIKETAN/DRRA day care centers to learn from our experience.