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'Help children with disabilities'

14 August 2006, 18:00 PM
METROPOLITAN
By Staff Correspondent
14 August 2006, 18:00 PM
SEID Trust organises a meeting styled 'Experience exchange meeting with mothers of children with intellectual and multiple disabilities' at LGED-RDC Bhaban in the city yesterday. PHOTO: STAR
"I want to tell a story -- the story is all about empathy, inspiration and courage. One morning I found myself paralysed. I was then only 15 years old. I lost the ability to walk, my parents came forward to rescue me from that abyss of misery. If we had lost the courage at the moment, I might not have been here at the podium today," eminent litterateur Selina Hossain thus started her speech to inspire mothers of mentally and physically challenged children.

SEID Trust, working to incorporate the children with disabilities into the mainstream, organised the meeting styled 'Experience exchange meeting with mothers of children with intellectual and multiple disabilities' at the LGED-RDC Bhaban in the city yesterday.

Narrating her experience, a mother said, "My daughter Mitu is now an adolescent. She is doubly helpless -- intellectually disabled and adolescent. I am afraid of the bullies in society. Earlier, she was criticised for her disabilities and now she has become the target of social bugs."

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Selina Hossain consoled them, saying, "I went to India in May and took part in a programme of a foundation for children with disabilities called 'Masum'. The programme started with a concert where 15 such children played 15 different instruments. Do not loose heart, these children some day will bring dignity to your lives."

Dilara Satter Mitu, director of SEID Trust, spoke of the organisation's activities and its integration programme that covers games, cognitive training and medical, physiology and vocational training.

It is now providing treatment facilities for 70 children with disabilities with the help of the corporate sector, she said and called for more financial assistance.

Prof Dr Geeti Ara Nasreen of Mass Communication and Journalism, Dhaka University, urged all to explore space for all. "The highest interest of all should be ensured in every sphere."

Prof Abdulla Abu Sayeed, president of Bishwa Sahitya Kendro, said the responsibility to look after these children lies on every citizen.

He called on the corporate sector to come forward to help these children.

GrameenPhone sponsored the programme and gave a cheque for Tk 3.5 lakh to the SEID Trust with promise of further assistance.

Ranjan Karmakar, director of Steps Towards Development, Dr Naim Ahmed, chairperson of SEID Trust, George Cage, principal of Aga Khan School, and Emadul Amin, director, HR Department, GrameenPhone, also spoke.