COVER FEATURE

Disability life to be lived with Human Dignity Sr. Monica Coelho, SFN

“I have formed you in your mother’s womb; you have been intricately designed by me” (Psalm 139). God is the master of our lives and all of us are the beautiful masterpieces of His marvelous creation.

So whether I am an able person or disabled I am ‘His’ masterpiece so unique and so special. Every being has a special place in the large compassionate Heart of God.

Jesus continues to lift up the lowly, marginalized, the weak, the sick, the needy and the disabled who are termed as differently abled. He uses us the abled human beings to be His instruments in moulding and shaping the weak specially the persons with disability. So Jesus embraces everyone and gives human dignity to all especially those who are lost. I am glad that Jesus chose me to be His channel of grace to reach out to this very community of the differently abled group and serve them in the best possible way to make them persons living with dignity. Disability is not a disease but a life full of potential hidden deep within, which requires assistance of an abled passionate human being who will tap and unwrap the hidden wealth that lies buried in the disabled being.

But many a times the society has misconceptions about the world of the disabled and so at times we become barriers in their life instead of becoming of some assistance, thus failing to keep the mission of Jesus going forward. In the past there was very little awareness about disabilities and so they were not socialized nor sent to schools. There were not many special educators who could train the children and parents of the disabled. The disabled became a liability to the society in the past. There are numerous types of disabilities, namely:

Physical disability would mean any external disability by which they are born with for no fault of theirs. It can be that they have problems with limbs, or loco-motor, or hearing impairment or visual

impairment, or intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder, or speech disorder or specific learning disability, or slow learners, or any other multiple disability.

Secondly the man-made disability by which we all contribute in some way or the other at various levels by being barriers to them. Legal disability of laws, rights and schemes for the disabled in which the procedures are so abstract and the common disabled people are not able to avail the same. Sometimes they are not even aware of the schemes and reservation they are entitled for.

On the other hand there are special educators who tirelessly work with great commitment and dedication to bring out the best in these differently abled students and give them and their parents a ray of hope that they are nothing less but can be contributing members of the society at large using the potential that is being tapped within. Ample opportunities are provided to them at the school and higher secondary level, in sports, in different activities like dance, music, and vocational training like embroidery, matty designing, crotchet, embossing work, wood carving, tailoring, painting, card making, posters, organdy flowers, crepe paper flowers, etc. They have the ability to grasp but at their own pace and in a method that that they can learn. All-round development is provided: regular screening, timely assessment, behaviour modification therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy,

training in sign language , cued speech for the hearing impaired, etc. All the special Educators go through training in special education both in theory, practical, and internship experience.

Every special educator is expected to have qualities of the heart namely: • Compassion & love • Every special educator is expected to be motherly in dealing with them as someone of their own. • Ability to plan and execute individualized educational programme. • Ability to provide them with character formation. • Ability to handle children with utmost care and affection. • Ability to act as a guide / counsellor. • Ability to fulfill all their needs including how to face challenges in life. • Ability to train in hygiene and sanitation. • Ability to have good interpersonal relations. • Ability to train them to use hearing aids and other appliances.

While training students with special needs tremendous responsibility lies in the hands of every special educator.

Attitudinal Disability: It is said that our mind controls our entire being. What we think in our mind is actually what really happens. So also our attitude plays an important role in setting barriers for persons with disability. By the very thought our mind creates an attitude. With whom we should get along and which group of persons can be included or excluded in the circle of our friendship is already decided by our mindset.

So in this manner we create barriers for persons with disability which hampers the growth and well-being.

But if we have a positive attitude, accept them just the way they are, understand their potential and believe in them, a lot can be achieved.

‘A healthy mind is a healthy body’ is a common saying. So our attitude should be of positive approach without any underestimation of the student with disabilities. The moment we create a negative mindset, negative energy is being produced which in turn is absorbed by the student with disability and the progress or growth in his or her life will be obviously be less.

On the other hand, if I am able to understand the hidden potential of the person with disability and tap it at the right time I will be experiencing tremendous joy in the true sense of being able to bring out the best

The writer is a member of the congregation of the Holy family of Nazareth. She has a teaching experience of 24 years and has been Heading the institution for the last 20 years as the Principal cum Headmistress of St. Xavier’s Academy, Old Goa, Goa. of the students. So change of attitude, accepting them in the way they have been created and channelizing their potential will be leading them to success and independent life. They will live their life fully with human dignity, take up jobs and be independent. They also experience technical barriers in the society where the able persons are not able to design technology in the way that will suit their needs. For example, if all computers were having braille on key pads, the visually impaired would never need a reader nor a writer. Similarly, if hearing aids were designed with hearing input for the hearing impaired persons, then they too would have been independent in every aspect. Apart from all this theory I would like to share my personal experience working for the last twenty years of my life with the differently abled community. It is an enriching experience though a challenging tedious job always saying no to self for the noble cause of the students with disability. All these twenty years were not easy, there were challenges everyday but I was never alone. God was and is my strength, my comfort and my support. He gave me challenging experiences and assisted me all through, blessed my efforts and led me to see his face in each child, where I am able to provide them with my other support staff, all that they need in being contributing members of the society . I never ever looked at them as disabled but rather was able to keep my focus on their slightest potential or their strength. The main idea was to win the confidence of every child, understand them, learn their limitation, focus on their plus points and shower love at all stages with a steady supply until I had won them over, where I made them feel that they are beings with potentials and capacities. The students excelled at state, national and international level, bring laurels for India and our school as well. I feel deeply satisfied and fulfilled in my mission and love for Jesus and yet there is a lot more to do. Once they know that you love them and you are interested in their growth, they are eager to learn and do the best you expect from them. It is not so easy. At times even while training them I experienced violence from the students. During these times one has to be cool and not lose heart but try to understand the triggered behaviour and assist the child with disabilities. What makes me feel proud is those that came to us as little helpless beings are now independent after the training, education and vocational guidance provided to them and are well settled in life. Some of them are working in hotels, pastries, banks, railways, as tailors, welders, some on ships, some in the gulf and so many of them got married and have children who are like any other beings. The greatest moment is to see students who have finished education at our Academy doing so well and come back to pay a visit in gratitude for what we have made them into: true human beings, persons able to live with dignity even after many years and they keep in touch through phone calls and come for guidance whenever needed. I have also learnt from them that they not only receive the love that we share but the outpouring of their love is actually received in a great measure. The saying of our master Lord Jesus Christ is what I actually encounter everyday “the measure you give is the measure you get”. The more you burn for others, God takes care of you as if you are the apple of His eye. FR. AGNEL HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL, PILAR WINS RELIANCE CUP

Fr. Agnel Higher Secondary School, Pilar won the Reliance Foundation, Youth Sports, U-19 football tournament, beating Damodar HSS, Gudi Paroda, 7-1. The Golden ball trophy was awarded to Ryan Menezes. Trijoy Lucas was adjudged as the man of the match. Captain Suraj Karur along with the P.E. teachers Mr. A. S. Patil, Ms. Clency Pereira & Mr. Roshan Pednekar lifted the trophy with great joy. The team was honoured and celebrated at a function in the school. Pilar News