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Centre for disabled children receives funding for special therapy room and hi-tech educational equipment

Centre for disabled children receives funding for special therapy room and hi-tech educational equipment

An often unnoticed effect of the current economic recession is the impact it has on the support of disabled children. A 2017 Unicef study specifically lists the plight of disabled Namibian children, saying that their care has been impacted substantially during the financial crisis.

What is lacking in support for disabled children from the government has to be supplemented by private organisations who experience their own funding constraints. Earlier this week, the German Embassy announced its support for such an organisation, the Child Intervention and Disability Support Centre based in Windhoek.

Under the embassy’s micro-project fund, the centre received just over N$115,000 in financial support to expand its technical ability in the care and education of disabled children. Two of the centre’s directors, Madri Colvin and Hendrik Venter signed the agreement on Monday with the German Ambassador, HE Christian Schlaga.

The funding is earmarked to equip a therapy room with soft flooring and specialized equipment for the children’s daily therapy to improve their motor skills and at the same time prevent any injuries.

The centre will also install an interactive smartboard which is an indispensable tool for occupational therapists to improve developing children’s fine-motor skills. Children suffering from cerebral palsy or dyslexia gain most from this educational support system.

The centre’s ultimate goal is to integrate each child into normal society. A holistic approach to their special education and a very low therapist to learner ration of 1 to 7 give them the advantage they need at a young age so that they can lead normal lives as adults.


Caption: Centre directors Hendrik Venter (left) and Madri Colvin (middle) signed an agreement with the German Ambassador, HE Christian Schlaga earlier this week for funding of the Child Intervention and Disability Support Centre from the embassy’s micro-project fund.


 

About The Author

Mandisa Rasmeni

Mandisa Rasmeni has worked as reporter at the Economist for the past five years, first on the entertainment beat but now focussing more on community, social and health reporting. She is a born writer and she believes education is the greatest equalizer. She received her degree in Journalism at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) in June 2021. . She is the epitome of perseverance, having started as the newspaper's receptionist in 2013.