Vijayawada's special kids feel touch of Irish care

The team of physiotherapists from University of College Dublin,Ireland led by Mairead O'Sullivan visited an NGO, Asha Jyothi Handicapped Welfare Society located in Vijayawada. They interacted, trained the local physiotherapists and cared for the children with special needs, recently.

Children unable to move, unable to do anything on their own without assistance and all of them deserted by the parents as orphans, who could not bring them up as normal children are taken care of by the NGO.

Such children need more Physiotherapy, which is a costly affair. After hearing of the services of the Asha Jyothi Handicapped Welfare Society, which took the initiative to provide all the needs of these children, an Irish team of physios came forward to nursethe Special children.

They trained the local physiotherapists about the implementation of the latest technology and advanced methods in physiotherapy and alsogave practice to the children with special needs. They trained the children at Ashram to lead their independent life.

The team from UCD volunteers fromoverseas James Shaw, Aine Farrell, Rose Menagh, Sinead Cosgrave and Tori Westby led by Mairead O'Sullivan stayed at the childcare institute (Asha Jyothi Handicapped Welfare Society) for about 4 weeks and will be returning to Ireland on July 6.

While the team has been with the kids, the children got to do some playful exercises, dance and play games.

They also participated in the yoga day celebrations along with all the 62 children at Asha Jyothi. The visitors stayed at the centre and explained the locals about the need of regular exercise, which would enable the children boost their self-confidence. The Irish team took all the children of the centre on a picnic to another NGO 'The Dady's Home' Buddhavaram near Vijayawada to make them feel happy and relaxed as most of the time they are isolated from the community.

Speaking to the Womenia, the Irish team head and tutor Mairead O'Sullivan said, she came to this NGO thrice and the children respond well to the new techniques. She said that they have given training in group therapy, sleep positioning of the child and also trained how to re-use the waste material as Music wall to attract the children for the exercise.

The NGO director, M Madhavi Latha said that every year in June the Ireland physio team visits this place to treat the children and direct them with treatment techniques, which would empower the local physiotherapists and the teachers of the organisation. She further said that the Physio teams were coming to their organisation for the last nine years.

The- Physio team also visited Venkateswara Institute for Rehabilitation and Research for Differently Able (VIRRD) hospital, Dwaraka Tirumala, West Godavari District and interacted with the patients, who have undergone corrective surgeries. Dr Bhavya Chand, Ortho Surgeon explained to them about the rehabilitative services provided by them to the children with special needs.

They visited Harika Physiotherapy College in Guntur also. They interacted the local physiotherapists and the members of AP Physiotherapy Association about discussed about the latest advancement in the field.