Day care for children with Down syndrome, Nepal, from 300 Euro, total 2500 Euro

Report

By our project finder Engely Tersteeg: 
When I was in Nepal in 2008, I encountered situations in which young children were penned in a cage behind a small house or in a dark corner of a hut. The conditions in which they live are disgraceful and deeply sad, not to mention extremely painful. The lack of understanding due to the ignorance of their parents who have little or no education has saddled them with even more troubles than they already had. The children are seen as a shame. People are afraid that the condition is hereditary or even contagious. The children are often seen as punishment for the way the parents lived in a former life. 
There is a small daycare in the capital of Kathmandu. The Satyam Daycare, run by a woman who is herself the mother of a child with Down syndrome, takes in eight other children. In the past months we went to help her and through her initiative more parents have been contacted. More children can now be helped. A number of Nepalese parents of children with Down would like to have their children go to this daycare but their financial situation often does not allow this. We would like to help this child care centre by taking on some of the costs. 

Before and after 
The donation has brought about a marvellous transformation and several rooms have been refurbished with new ceilings and walls in bright colours; there are new floor coverings and cheerful curtains. The toys, learning materials and musical instruments have been renewed, and the carpenter has fitted new cupboards. As a result, the children no longer have to sit in dark, filthy cubby holes and there can be music lessons which are so important for the development of these kids. 

Children with Down Syndrome are not seen as an official group in Nepal. They come under the general category of mental and physically handicapped children. 
Many of these children in Kathmandu live in a cage behind the house or in a dark corner of a decrepit shed. Forgotten children of parents from the lowest caste or no caste – the untouchables – who have the lowest jobs to survive. They do not know what to do with these children and simply shut them away. 

A mother who herself has an 8-year old child with Down syndrome has begun a day care centre. This is the only centre in the city for these children. There are other centres for children during the day but they do nothing to try to stimulate the development of the children; they are seen as severely handicapped and at best only basic care is offered to them. Our project finder in Kathmandu, who set up Noble House there – a relief house for street urchins – tries to support the day care centre and has selected ten other children (under the age of six) who would profit from the centre. There are also volunteers available who have some understanding of appropriate methods to activate the children. The day care is a somewhat sorry space and should be fixed up to provide the children with a good, safe play area, 

1000 Euros are needed to paint the rooms, for furniture, carpeting and curtains. 
300 Euros are needed for new toys and musical instruments.
200 Euros a month are needed to transport the 10 new children who do not live within walking distance of the centre. For the first half year, 1200 Euros in other words. 


Total € 1200,-- 

adopted by MR K. Verwey en Stichting Rubrint

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