Shakthi brings differently-abled into mainstream

CHENNAI: It was a sight to behold as a whopping 1,425 differently-abled children and 352 able-bodied children danced, sang and played as one in a fun fair, organised by Airtel as part of the Annual Day celebrations of the Shakthi Foundation, an NGO working for underprivileged and special kids.The event, which was held at the St George School grounds on Saturday, was truly remarkable for it proved yet again that if society was committed enough, then the inclusion of the differently-abled into themainstream was very much possible. What was also heartening to note was the fact that at least 30 corporate houses had turned up to show their support for the efforts of the NGO. Game stalls, puppet shows, face painting stalls and magic shows were all organised by leading business houses to entertain the children.Speaking to City Express, Shakthi Foundation Chairperson Vasanth Raghuvir said, “Our aim is to heal the world of the physically challenged and empower them to lead a life of dignity and self-dependency in our society.” Giving out more details, she said, “Shakthi Foundation is now in its 21st year and we are grateful to Airtel for being our presenting sponsor for the fifth time in a row. This year’s event itself was called corporate commitment for we know that the corporates can make a big difference in any society, if they choose to do so. We wanted those in corporate houses to forget their deadlines for a day and come here and spend time with these children to understand them better.”On the occasion, corporate representatives and Chennaiites took an oath to support the differently-abled children and to help them lead a life of dignity. They also vowed to crusade for a barrier-free environment which would facilitate the inclusion of the differently-abled into the mainstream. Well known musicians Shivamani and Mandolin Shrinivas too added to the excitement of the kids with the former playing a few numbers for them. Several able-bodied children from seven institutions who had volunteered for the event were seen laughing, dancing and playing joyfully with their differently-abled counterparts. Adequate safety measures were put in place to ensure that the children had a good time without sustaining injuries.