Dear Supporters,
This quarter at the Karachi Down Syndrome Program (KDSP), we tried to build a more loving world, with celebrations, creating relationships and awareness featuring the World Down Syndrome Day on 21st March. KDSP celebrated the day with great enthusiasm by holding the Annual KDSP Carnival in March, an inclusive event with entertainment and activities for the community. The theme of this quarter was, “Pyaar Baanto” which means to spread love and all our activities were designed around this theme. Your support is a commitment to our shared goals and collective values of an inclusive society.
Below mentioned are some of the highlights from this quarter:
Early Childhood Intervention (physical, occupational and speech therapies):
Healthcare:
Education:
Awareness:
Family Support:
Some stories from the field:
“We eagerly wait for the KDSP Carnival just as kids wait for Eid (a religious festival). We are always excited for this day. This particular day we feel a different kind of happiness as we know that it is a place where my child is celebrated.” -Ambreen, mother of Ziyam.
“The family support sessions are very impressive and motivational. They surely are very helpful and informative for guardians of individuals with Down syndrome. I appreciate KDSP’s efforts in arranging these sessions and I look forward to attending more in the future.” Shahnaz, mother of Mahad.
“Fahad is 9 years old. He is very fond of sports and outdoor activities. Fahad and his parents’ efforts have been a source of motivation for both the facilitators and other students. His ability to learn quickly and put his heart and soul into all his tasks is the reason behind his progress in all aspects of literacy, numeracy and life skills.”- Sana, Tailored Assistance Program facilitator at KDSP.
“We were looking for homeschooling for Rameen and were unsuccessful. In the pandemic we were really afraid of sending her to a regular school. Remote Education and Learning for Youth (RELY) at KDSP is the best school for her. The way facilitators conduct the program, understand her and other students’ needs, it has helped all of us. The curriculum selected is also great. We really appreciate all the efforts that you and the entire team have put in!” – Mother of Rameen.
“Finding KDSP was like a ray of hope in the dark. My daughter was a weak child when she was born and her heart condition put her under a lot of stress. Despite residing in Shikarpur, I travelled to Karachi after registering at KDSP to get Umaima the best help possible. KDSP not only provided financial assistance for her angiography but now also support us regularly with her medicines which she must take until she is stable and healthy enough to undergo heart surgery. The team at KDSP has always been there to listen to our concerns and provide for my daughter. I do not have the words to thank them for their support.”- Mazhar, father of Umaima.
“Therapies have made a huge impact on my son’s life. Although it has been only 10 months since Omer is taking therapies at KDSP, there have been so many improvements. Before we were worried with his behaviors, he was usually distracted in his activities despite our efforts. His therapists at KDSP however are a god-send, he is much calmer now and even helps around the house. He helps set the dinner table and plays with his brother. Through speech therapy, Omer has also started stringing words and can form single sentences at a time. I am extremely grateful to KDSP and so proud of all that my son has achieved.”-Nazish, father of Omer.
Thank you for your love and donations, it creates a pathway for success for individuals with Down syndrome and helps us build an inclusive society.
Love,
Team KDSP
Links:
Dear Supporters,
This quarter at the Karachi Down Syndrome Program (KDSP) was full of celebrations and creating awareness featuring the Down Syndrome Awareness month in October. The team took upon new ideas and initiatives to instill feelings of happiness and excitement in individuals with Down syndrome and their families, as they returned towards routine living. As a result, remarkable performances and faces that beamed with happiness were observed.
Below mentioned are some of the highlights from this quarter:
Early Childhood Intervention (physical, occupational and speech therapies):
Healthcare:
Education:
Awareness:
Enrichment and Skills Development:
Family Support:
Some stories from the field:
Ahmed is a 3 year old child with Down syndrome at KDSP. During a speech therapy session, his therapist suspected he had trouble hearing and referred him for an audiology assessment. Ahmed was diagnosed with severe hearing loss of the middle ear. In August 2021, with your support, KDSP sponsored a pair of hearing aids so Ahmed could continue to avail his therapy sessions and achieve his developmental milestones. His therapists have since then reported an improvement in his progress.
Sabeeka’s mother expressed, “The KDSP Early Preschool is a “happy home” for my child. She is learning a lot here and her progress is exceptional. The attention and love she receives from her teachers and the staff are like no other. It is the best educational platform we could find, with fun learning activities. I am thankful with all my heart for all the love, care and focus given to my daughter. I thank the KDSP team for all their efforts.”
“Noticing some good changes after yoga; I feel more active, the pain and stiffness in my shoulders has decreased and I feel this freshness on my face. I am sure it will also help manage the stress us mothers face, as we continue to attend classes. I was aware of these benefits but did not realize them until after practical application. This is all thanks to KDSP and Dhanak, our instructor!” - Shabana, mother of Aijaz – participant of Yoga for Mothers
“Hadi was diagnosed with an unclosed hole in his heart, for which he underwent a successful surgery under the care of Dr. Babar at AKUH. Thanks to KDSP, Hadi is now living a healthy life and is able to energetically partake various activities” - shared mother of Hadi emotionally.
“Ayan loves attending Music and Movement and BollyX (Bollywood dance class) at KDSP. He enjoys it a lot and gets to do these activities with his sister, which has brought them closer together. KDSP has provided an excellent avenue for my son to do what he loves.” - expressed Maryam, mother of Ayan
Links:
Dear Supporters,
While many of our services started physically in the last quarter, KDSP gradually resumed all of its services physically this quarter while ensuring the implementation of strict SOPs and keeping the health and safety of our wonderful stars at top priority. Below mentioned are some of the highlights from this quarter:
Early Childhood Intervention (physical, occupational & speech therapies)
Healthcare
Skills Development
Family Support
Education
Awareness
Some stories from the field:
“The monthly grocery bags and cash transfers received through KDSP help us balance our expenses. We are grateful to God for making KDSP a channel to bridge the gaps in our day to day expenses. We are extremely satisfied with the service and are equally grateful to KDSP.” – shares Mother of Sami
“I have followed KDSP’s awareness initiatives for up to three years now and never before have I seen an organization that is raising awareness to create a more inclusive society for individuals with Down syndrome. My family also became more understanding of the condition and the developmental interventions Essa would require after they saw some TV shows KDSP was a part of. I, myself had the opportunity to attend an awareness session by KDSP which debunked a few myths surrounding Down syndrome I possessed.” – expresses Maryam, Mother of Essa
“The services that we received from AKUH were excellent. Dr. Salman and Dr. Babar were very understanding and listened to our concerns carefully. The staff at KDSP was extremely helpful in guiding us.”- shares Mother of Yourasha
“I have seen great improvement in Saeed - his walking and grip has improved a lot now that we are coming in physically for his physical therapy”- shares Mother of Saaed
“Through the carefully structured lesson plans and video tutorials, Kaneez learnt sign language and is now able to communicate her everyday needs to us, and even her feelings. The teachers invested their soul and heart into ensuring a safe, smooth and comfortable learning environment for all the children, even during COVID-19! The day she graduated from Early Preschool was a bittersweet moment for me as a parent; Kaneez is now ready to attend the mainstream school where she is enrolled, and will study alongside typically developing peers her age. I am confident that I will be able to provide a conducive learning environment to her growth in any school, through the information, tools and techniques KDSP empowered me with.” – expresses Ramooz, mother of Kaneez
“We enrolled Taha in multiple schools but none had the capacity to cater to him for long and teachers were unable to put in the effort. In his time at KDSP, he has been a part of many programs. The classes helped him increase his attention span as he is very focused on his tasks. Many of the products Taha has made in his classes have received much recognition via the KDSP Shop. The sales he makes via the shop contribute to his financial independence. Taha is also currently interning at an esteemed dental clinic in Karachi where his supervisors are most pleased with his hard work and determination. He is very excited about his work there and has great plans on how he will spend his stipend. KDSP has provided us with great support.” – expresses Hafsa, sister of Taha.
All of this has only been possible because of the constant support and love you have shown towards KDSP. With your continuous patronage, KDSP hopes to bring forward many more success stories and eventually a world where individuals with Down syndrome are accepted, included and celebrated!
Love,
Team KDSP
Links:
Dear Supporters,
This quarter was a breath of fresh air for KDSP. Many of our services which had become virtual owing to COVID-19 since March 2020 were resumed physically and we welcomed our wonderful stars with Down syndrome at our office February onwards. Some of the major highlights included:
o In-person therapy clinics resumed at 50% capacity with 233+ therapy sessions conducted weekly
o KDSP presented its paper ‘The Virtual Shift: Early Childhood Intervention Therapies for Pakistani Children with Down Syndrome During COVID-19’ in the 36th Annual Pacific Rim International Conference On Disability & Diversity – Virtual as well as Aga Khan University Hospital’s 23rd National Health Sciences Research Symposium
o New program was launched to train parents/caregivers for home-schooling their children
o Our preschool and afterschool programs catering to 25+ students resumed in-person
o Inclusion Facilitators were trained and placed in model partner schools in Karachi to facilitate the education of children with Down syndrome
o 100+ children and adults benefitted from a variety of programs - some of which are still running virtually while the rest resumed physically (Music and Movement, Paper Crafts, Block Printing to name a few)
o New programs were launched including BollyX (Bollywood inspired dance fitness program) and Life skills (self-care, hygiene, communication skills, money and time management and basic digital literacy) for adults with Down syndrome
o 747 handicrafts products were sold and proceeds handed over to our talented crafters with Down syndrome; simultaneously new handicrafts are being developed for KDSP’s upcoming E-commerce Shop
o 75 children benefited from referrals, consultations and live-saving procedures at the Down syndrome Clinic at Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH)
o 15 children benefited from the Developmental Pediatrics Consulting Clinic at KDSP
o 100 new families have been enrolled at KDSP, crossing the 1000 families milestone
o Informational support: 7 Family Support Group sessions have been arranged on topics including puberty, oral health and importance of expressive art techniques benefitting 45+ parents and caregivers
o Emotional support: The KDSP Parent-buddy program enabled 27 newly enrolled parents to find emotional strength and support through peer support pairing with experienced parents
o Financial support: 40 families were supported with monthly cash transfers and grocery bags
o To celebrate World Down Syndrome Day on 21st March and keep the Annual KDSP Carnival’s spirit alive, we developed ‘Carnival in a Box,’ consisting of a themed box full of treats for over a 1000 families within our network.
o KDSP launched an awareness video themed #ConnectWithDownSyndrome, to portray empathic, responsible and meaningful connections individuals with Down syndrome are capable of forming, once we learn to see through the lens of inclusion.
o The team made some media appearances to spread awareness about Down syndrome.
Some stories from the field
“I have seen greater improvements in Hassan as a result of the therapies and it is wonderful to connect with the therapists in-person. I feel safe coming to KDSP seeing the strict SOPs that are followed here and the excellent crowd control”, shared mother of Hassan
Mother of Arham (7 years old), shared: “The homeschooling program has not only benefitted my son, Arham, but my other (typical) children as well! I am learning how to teach all of my children now!”
Ibrahim is a 1.9 year old boy with Down syndrome with complexities in his heart - he was referred to cardiac specialists at AKUH (through KDSP) who eagerly took on his case and started his treatment. “Thank you KDSP for the endless support…we are very impressed with the overall experience at AKUH” says Ibrahim’s father.
“Ammar enthusiastically follows every instruction and displays great craftsmanship when it comes to drawing, painting and quilling. These skill building classes have been instrumental in improving his ability to concentrate. He also runs his own Instagram handle @extraon21 and YouTube channel called Explore with Ammar”, exclaims mother of 19 year-old Ammar
“Puberty sessions were a great learning experience, very enlightening and enriched with information. The sessions helped change my perspective and offered a refined lens to view things. I learnt about the importance of building an open and honest communication with my child, and how visual aids and social stories can help children learn and unlearn concepts. I even adopted visual learning strategies and have been successfully implementing them with my son”, says Mother of 14 year-old Abdullah.
“Emama just received her Carnival in a Box from KDSP and we are really grateful to KDSP for spreading smiles among the stars of our families and giving them a chance to have what they deserve”, shares Mother of Emama.
Thank you for all the generous support you have extended towards empowering individuals with Down syndrome. We look forward to your continuous support in our mutual mandate towards an inclusive society!
Love,
Team KDSP
Links:
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