You will see here photos of Reshma Khatun & Md Mojammil, both minor
Blind students of the Lighthouse for the Blind (LFB), Kolkata visiting
our Library today to receive scholarship funds donated by WgCDR D K Roy,
Kolkata. You can also spot Reshma in the profile photo of this page
right on the left seated. What happened was that almost 6+ years ago I
was invited to a community service program relating to screening of
vision inside the Belgachia slum.
A volunteer from Hope Foundation informed me that two Blind children, one girl, the elder one & one boy the younger one were residing close by & would I like to home visit them? I promptly went with her inside the lanes & bye lanes of the slum & knocked at the door of a 4ftX6ft room full with various daily usable items. On a wooden hard bed I found Reshma jumping up & down & Mojammil standing on the floor. I had a doubt that they were undernourished as Mojammil had walking problems. I counseled the mother Parvin Bibi who has an eldest daughter who is sighted & going to school next door.
Back home I contacted Mr M B Chhetri (fondly called Chhetrida, a reputed physiotherapist from the Indian Inst of Cerebral Palsy,) fixed up a date with him & brought him for a home visit. Chhetrida suspected Vitamin D loss in Mojammil & advised consulting local R G Kar Hospital.
This process too was taken care of & all credit goes to the mother Parvin who cooperated so much to mainstream her children. Their father worked as a daily mason & hardly found time during daytime. Finally Parvin agreed to admit her children to a special school as earlier she had a very bitter experience with Sarva Sikhsha Mission Resource Centro. Principal Amio Satpathi of LFB warmly welcomed the two kids who are now regularly attending the school for the last 3 to 4 years, their mother untiringly escorting them to & fro using Metro Rail service from Belgachia to Kalighat. SVH was there right through by her side for any support she hesitantly asked for. Both Reshma & Mojammil now can breathe fresh air of education, music, sports, group participation like any other child of their age. SVH is grateful to its donors & volunteers for this small commitment done with dedication !
A volunteer from Hope Foundation informed me that two Blind children, one girl, the elder one & one boy the younger one were residing close by & would I like to home visit them? I promptly went with her inside the lanes & bye lanes of the slum & knocked at the door of a 4ftX6ft room full with various daily usable items. On a wooden hard bed I found Reshma jumping up & down & Mojammil standing on the floor. I had a doubt that they were undernourished as Mojammil had walking problems. I counseled the mother Parvin Bibi who has an eldest daughter who is sighted & going to school next door.
Back home I contacted Mr M B Chhetri (fondly called Chhetrida, a reputed physiotherapist from the Indian Inst of Cerebral Palsy,) fixed up a date with him & brought him for a home visit. Chhetrida suspected Vitamin D loss in Mojammil & advised consulting local R G Kar Hospital.
This process too was taken care of & all credit goes to the mother Parvin who cooperated so much to mainstream her children. Their father worked as a daily mason & hardly found time during daytime. Finally Parvin agreed to admit her children to a special school as earlier she had a very bitter experience with Sarva Sikhsha Mission Resource Centro. Principal Amio Satpathi of LFB warmly welcomed the two kids who are now regularly attending the school for the last 3 to 4 years, their mother untiringly escorting them to & fro using Metro Rail service from Belgachia to Kalighat. SVH was there right through by her side for any support she hesitantly asked for. Both Reshma & Mojammil now can breathe fresh air of education, music, sports, group participation like any other child of their age. SVH is grateful to its donors & volunteers for this small commitment done with dedication !
