DOCTOR WHO RUNS A SCHOOL FOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED
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Dr. Prameela, Shilpa Charitable Society, Palluruthi, Ernakulam |
Dr. Prameela’s eldest child was born with severe mental retardation. The doctors told her: “You forget your daughter.” But she loved her child Shilpa deeply. And when Shilpa died at the age of 12, Dr. Prameela felt it impossible to go on in life without loving such children. So the 3-months-pregnant Prameela told her husband Dr. Hariharan about her desire to start a school for mentally handicapped.
“Can we not wait for some more time?”, opined her husband. But she was determined. She felt that her life’s purpose was to love and serve such children.
Thus was born Shilpa Charitable Society, Palluruthi, Ernakulam in 1996.
She started a special school at home in by admitting children from fishermen and labourers in the neighbourhood. Soon the number of students increased. Now there are 45 students, 4 teachers, physiotherapists and bystanders in the special school. A good percentage of the students belong to low IQ category. Training is imparted to them through games, music therapy, shapes and colours.
There is orientation programme for parents also.
About 15 students are engaged in making covers for medicines. Junile, a 14-year-old is very proficient in this job.
One day he was working beyond 4 o’clock. Dr. Prameela asked him if he was not going home. Junile replied: “I want to work throughout the night to earn more money to buy a frock for my cousin, whose birthday is tomorrow.”
Says Dr. Prameela: “Tears came to my eyes when I heard that. The same day we took him to a shop and bought the frock for him”.
Courtesy: Lakshmidevi, Gruhalakshmi May 1999.
Contributed by: Administrator
