Rural Development Trust (RDT) distributed 1,020 self-study kits for children with Intellectual Disabilities as part of an initiative implemented by the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID)

During 2019-2021, when groups of children with intellectual disabilities received a box full of colorful objects, they were thrilled to see some exciting colors in their lives. The box included various items like puzzles about body parts, vegetables, flowers, as well as some board games to learn different alphabets and practice telling time on a clock. These boxes are a part of the 1,020 self-study kits that were donated to RDT by NIEPID.

                                              © Vasu Kalavapalli/RDT

An eleven-year-old Hemanth from Pamidi village was one of those children who received this self-study kit or a box of toys as he calls it. “Hemanth’s progress was constant, but then the lockdown happened. Although we are grateful to the RDT teachers who visited us every month, it was difficult for us to keep him engaged when the teachers were not around,” says Prakash Gaud, his father. This is where self-study kits really help! Each kit consists of various interactive educational materials that help increase visual and auditory attention span. All the materials in the kits are designed by a team of special educators and therapists.

During the past two years, due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent closure of several residential institutions, RDT teachers made regular house visits and identified children with intellectual disabilities who previously submitted a copy of a valid disability certificate corresponding to NIEP standards. After the identification, RDT teachers distributed the kits according to the children’s age levels, kit 1 (for 0-3 age), kit 2 (for 4-7 age), and kit 3 (for 7-11 age), and provided training on how to use the kits to their parents.

                                              © Vasu Kalavapalli/RDT

“The moment we opened the box, Hemanth became glued to it!” says his father cheerily. “My wife and I divided days for using the kit to sit with Hemanth. We noticed how easily he became engrossed with the materials inside and quickly grasped the lessons that each material taught,” continues his father.

In the same village of Pamidi, a nine-year-old Sai Mokshitha also uses kit 3 for her lessons every day. However, along with intellectual disability, she also suffers from cerebral palsy. Her sister Niharika, who is 18 months younger than her, is the one who often sits with Sai Mokshitha to revise lessons. “Sai loves to play the number game with her sister! After a few months of using the kit, she can now fluently recite numbers from one to 10, can recognize different animals, vegetables, and fruits,” says her mother.

                                              © Ramamohan/RDT

Sai Mokshitha’s intellectual disability coupled with locomotive syndrome makes her very sensitive. “When Sai was first enrolled in our Kuderu center, she was hypersensitive. If she heard some background noise or saw a squirrel, cat, or dog, she would jump and cry for hours. She also had extreme difficulty in picking up light objects,” explains Yugandhar, Assistant Technical Director of the DID sector.

Some of the play materials like colorful sticks in the kit are designed to meet the sensory needs of the children, which also enhances body balance and awareness. “Whenever I sit with Sai, I make sure that we play with the sticks as I have seen how better her grasping power has become,” says Sreedhar, her father.

                                              © Ramamohan/RDT

A few kilometers from Pamidi, in the village of B.Kothalapalli, a seven-year-old Jayashree is also among the children who received the self-study kits. A child with intellectual disability and cerebral palsy, Jayashree is a fast learner compared to other kids with a similar age and condition. “The major problem we faced with Jayashree was behavioral issues,” says Jayashree’s mother who now seems satisfied with fidget toys that are included in the kit 2, which are meant to improve children’s self-regulation. “I might not be able to quantify the degree of improvement in her, but one thing I can say for sure –she seems more relaxed and less irritable than before!” continues her mother.

                                              © Vasu Kalavapalli/RDT

For parents, the most important thing is to see their children independent and self-sufficient.

Text by Dyuti Khulbe adapted by VFF USA