Support Abandoned Intellectually Disabled Children

Nithya was 14 years old when she came to us in February 2017 through the Child Welfare Committee of Coimbatore. She had been surrendered to an orphanage after her birth, post her mother’s untimely death. Her father was unable to care for her as she was diagnosed with a mild form of intellectual disability.

Nithya had a bit of trouble adjusting to her new environment at Sri Arunodayam. She was already of age to understand what was happening to her. She craved attention and sought it in strange ways. Too old to study and too young to work, Nithya was ideally suited for Prayatna, our in-house vocational training center.

Prayatna offered Nithya many channels to develop her creativity. As she focussed her energies on tasks that she liked and began to excel at, her penchant for troublemaking reduced. Nithya has blossomed into a fine young lady; responsible, reliable and capable of taking care of herself and the other young ones in her care. She has applied herself and become proficient in knitting, stitching, and weaving lovely wire baskets.

In the three years that Sri Arunodayam became her home, Nithya developed a new attitude. She knows she is loved and that this is her family. She has responded by evolving into a housemother of sorts, helping our caregivers feed and care for younger children at the home. She has other talents too, fancying sports, games and dancing. It’s true that the more we love our children, the more they learn to love others. This, pretty much sums up Nithya’s story as she grows up learning to love herself and others, making her own mark in the world today.

Links:

• About Prayatna - Sri Arunodayam's Vocational Training Center