Kerala NGO offers vital study kits to children of disabled parents

NGO Divyang Foundation in Kerala organised a programme where 40 children with disabled parents from economically backward families were given school kits.

Schools across Kerala are reopening and Rajani was worried about whether she would be able to afford textbooks for her son for the new academic year. Rajani, who lives in Kozhikode, is paralysed and she can barely afford her medications.

“I had told my son that we could not buy him anything this year for school because buying medicines alone is a huge burden, she recalls.

So, her spirits lifted when she heard the news that a local NGO Divyang Foundation was going to reach out to children with disabled, bed-ridden parents from poor backgrounds.

At an event called Kurunnukalkk Oru Kai Thangu 40 children were given two notebooks, water bottle, a lunch box, pens and pencils, erasers and other basic things required for school.

“This was so helpful, I was glad to see the smile on my son’s face, says Rajani.
Divyang Foundation founder Prajith Jaipal, a wheelchair user, is known to lend a helping hand. His NGO partnered with Palliative care to identify beneficiaries for the initiative.

There are many people who are bed-ridden and unable to go to work. They might be sending their children to school but are clearly not able to make ends meet. We came to know about many such families in and around Kozhikode. Hence, we decided to step up and help them out. –Prajith Jaipal, Founder, Divyang Foundation

The kits were for children from lower primary levels up until Class 7. Many generous friends and family members contributed for the cause. “We wanted to give umbrellas as well but didn’t have the funds, says Jaipal.

The foundation plans to do this every year. Divya Abhilash, of Palliative Care, said beneficiaries would be identified every year.

“I come across many elderly and disabled people who have young school going children. Since most of them are bed-ridden or disabled people, they cannot provide for their children. I asked Prajith if we could do something to help the children and he instantly agreed to provide kits, says Divya.

GET IN TOUCH: To know more Divyang Foundation’s initiatives, call +91-9809199225.

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