• For the first time RDT organized a cultural festival exclusively for children with intellectual disabilities and cerebral palsy, Srujana 2020.
• More than 168 children from 9 RDT centers (6 centers for intellectual disabilities and 3 centers for cerebral palsy) participated in various events.

Rural Development Trust (RDT)’s Disability Inclusive Development sector and Arts and Culture sector organized Srujana, a one-of-a-kind cultural festival exclusively for children with intellectual disabilities and cerebral palsy. The festival was organized in the auditorium of RDT High School for Speech and Hearing-Impaired Children in Bukkarayasamudram, Anantapur on January 29, 2020.

“In all the cultural festivals organized by RDT so far, children with intellectual disabilities and cerebral palsy have rarely participated. So, we decided to organize this event exclusively for them. This festival is an opportunity for all these children to have a fair chance at showcasing their enthusiasm and skills in music and dance,” says Nirmal Kumar, Director of the RDT Arts and Culture Sector.

Around 168 children from 9 RDT centers participated in this event. The categories in this event were singing, acting, and dance – with solo, duet and group categories for each of them. There were also two dance performances for children in wheelchairs and a free dance category for children from all centers to perform together.

“I am very happy to be a part of this event. My favorite hero is Ramcharan and I want to dance like him. I want to participate in the future too,” says Mahesh, 12 who lives in the Center for Intellectual Disability in Uravakonda and participated in the solo dance and free dance categories.

Scroll below to catch a glimpse of what happened at this event.

A child singing a solo ©Felita Viegas/RDT

Getting their costumes and make-up ready ©Ramamohan/RDT

Girls performing a duet song. ©Ramamohan/RDT

Mahesh performing in the free dance category. ©Felita Viegas/RDT

The audience, most of whom were students from the RDT High School for Speech and Hearing Impaired. They kept encouraging all the performers. ©Ramamohan/RDT

Children from the Special Olympics program singing together. ©Felita Viegas/RDT

Children with intellectual disabilities and cerebral palsy performing a group action song together. ©Ramamohan/RDT

A wheelchair dance performance that was attempted for the first time by these children. ©Felita Viegas/RDT

A free dance performance. ©Ramamohan/RDT

“We offer some special teaching for these children such as gestures and colorful lights and follow up with them through practice. Their desire to learn and their perseverance is admirable. It is heartwarming for me to see them perform on stage,” says Lalitha, a cultural organizer from Bukkarayasamudram who trains children both with and without disabilities.

RDT believes that arts and culture should be accessible to all. The dominant notion in the society is that children and people with intellectual disabilities or cerebral palsy are unable to process music or perform. With appropriate measures and training, these children can express themselves through music and dance and see what they are capable of. “I am overjoyed to see these children perform with such enthusiasm. We definitely want to keep going forward and will organize similar events for them involving more categories,” remarks Nirmal Kumar.

Text: Felita Viegas, adapted by Vicente Ferrer Foundation USA