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For a worthy cause

One of main aims of Tamana, a non-profit voluntary organisation, is to help special children become self reliant

For a worthy cause

The NGO provides services like special education, therapeutic interventions, skill development, speech, occupational and physiotherapy, life skills training, computer education and helps children with special needs and their parents in order to rehabilitate them in society



Swati Rai

One of main aims of Tamana, a non-profit voluntary organisation, is to help special children gain self-reliance

Moving towards an inclusive society as etched in the National Policy on Education is a constant effort — one of dedication and dealing with variables. Tamana is a non-profit voluntary organisation that champions the cause of special needs, mentally challenged, multiply disabled and autistic children. It also aims at changing the attitudes of the public at large towards special children and making inclusion in education and life, a reality.Purnima Jairam, special educator with Tamana, says, “A tectonic shift in the society is needed for inclusion to become a reality. After all, how many such children do we see in the malls or any other public place? It is us as parents, teachers’ and the community who have to accept such children with open arms and help raise awareness.”

Tamana (means ‘longing’) was born out of a desire of Dr Shayama Chona to help children with special needs become integrated members of the society. “Tamana was started as dream of inclusion in 1984. I have been fortunate to see my dream become a reality. I have had constant support from people whom I have taught and been in touch with over the years. The progress shown by her daughter, Tamana, who was born with cerebral palsy egged Chona to try and reach out to others in need and thus the charitable society took shape.

Tamana was a frontrunner in the concept of integration of children with special needs in schools as far back as in the late 1980s, even before it became a part of the national policy on education. Initially, Tamana helped about 30 children with minimal brain damage to get admission in normal schools. But a realisation that such schools were not equipped with trained teachers for these children led Tamana to set up its own project in a private school.

Keeping its focus on providing the help needed to each child, Tamana offers an individual educational program for every student, aimed at social and economic independence, which incorporates special education, regular academic program through the NIOS, therapeutic interventions and vocational training. Each centre of Tamana provides services like special education, therapeutic interventions, skill development, speech, occupational and physiotherapy, life skills training, computer education, music and dance, weight management and physical fitness, sports and extracurricular activities, counselling, behaviour modification, diagnostics and assessment facilities, family counselling, etc. to enable them to become confident and integrated members of society.

This organisation helps fulfil the dreams and longings of the children with special needs and those of their parents to see them as rehabilitated members of the society. Tamana’s contribution in the field of disability was also recognised by the UN, which granted it special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council.

Tamana’s services are availed by people from Gurgaon, Ghaziabad and Noida from NCR and northern states like UP, Punjab, HP, J&K, Haryana, MP, Rajasthan, etc. The services availed are diagnostics, home programmes, outreach and hostel facility. In home programme the out-station beneficiary is first assessed at the diagnostic centre and then a home programme is prepared for him / her. The parents are trained to conduct the home programme. A review is done every three months and the changes in programme are made accordingly. In outreach, people can avail the services like occupational therapy, speech therapy and special education after school hours at Tamana centres.

Tamana is running a teacher training cell where it runs RCI-recognised courses like diploma in special education (MR) and diploma in special education (ASD). Tamanastaff is given regular training in the form of in house workshops. Weekly training sessions are held every Friday. They are also sent for workshops organised by other organisations working in the field.

The NGO operates from its three Delhi branches — Autism Centre, School of Hope, Tamana Special School and Nai Disha — and aims at integration of these children in the society. It aims at integrating high-functioning, special needs students in mainstream schools. Remedial classes for slow learners and dyslexic students attending regular schools and school dropouts are conducted here in the afternoon.

While all that talk of inclusive education will provide true integration, but it has to begin from one’s home, says Shayama. She adds, “We want people to accept and understand that special needs children are our own and like us. Too much is spoken about inclusive education but we need to see it become more than an eye wash. We are reaching out to more centres and people outside of Delhi and hopefully we can see the change gradually but definitively!”

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