‘Chalo Chalein’- Walkathon With And For Specially-abled Children Organized At RINL
This program is yet another step towards promoting dignity and respect of children with special needs in the society
To mark the world day of International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) (on 3rd December, 2023) , a special program ’Chalo Chalein’- walk with and for a special friend was organized under the aegis of Arunodaya Special School at RINL along with Friends of ARUNODAYA , a Voluntary group of youngsters of RINL-VSP, today.
At a program organized in the premises of Arunodaya Special school today at Ukkunagaram, Mrs. Nupur Bhatt, President(, Arunodaya Special School, Jyoti Balavihar & Visteel Mahila Samithi) flagged off the ’Chalo Chalein’(walkathon) along with Shri DK Mohanty, Director (Commercial), RINL.
The objective of this unique program is to minimise marginalisation, to break barriers, to promote inclusion and to sensitize the community about specially-abled children. This program is yet another step towards promoting dignity and respect of children with special needs in the society.
It may please be noted that Arunodaya Special School Educational Society was established in the year 1995 under the RINL’s CSR initiative in Ukkunagaram Township and has been rendering holistic and effective rehabilitation services to children with special needs.
Addressing the students at the valedictory of Chalo Chalein’walkathon, the chief guest Shri Atul Bhatt, CMD, RINL lauded the efforts of Mrs. Nupur Bhatt, President (Arunodaya Special School, Jyoti Balavihar and Visteel Mahila Samithi) and the entire team of Arunodaya special school for taking very good care of the specially-abled children through various holistic and effective rehabilitation services to children with special needs ( children with Intellectual Disability, Autism, Hearing problems, ADHD(attention deficit hyperactivity disorder),Cerebral palsy and down syndrome etc.) for over 3 decades.
Smt. Nupur Bhatt, Shri DK Mohanty along with all other dignitaries, staff and students took pledge that “they would dedicate themselves to “Promote and Respect for persons with special needs”.
Earlier, addressing the students at the inaugural session of the Chalo Chalein, Shri DK Mohanty, Director (Commercial), RINL said that such wonderful program is the best possible program for inclusion of the specially-abled children in the normal stream of life and thanked the RINL management for its unstinted support right from the inception of arunodaya special school.
Later, Shri Atul Bhatt, CMD, RINL, Smt. Nupur Bhatt, President (Arunodaya Special School, Jyoti Balavihar and Visteel Mahila Samithi) presented prizes to the winners of poster and slogan competitions conducted for the school students on the theme “Inclusion of the children with special needs”. Shri Atul Bhatt and Smt. Nupur Bhatt also presented certificates to all the school students for their active participation in the ‘Chalo Chalein walkathon’.
Around 180 students from various schools of Ukkunagaram township walked along with 40 specially-abled students of Arunodaya Special School in the Ukkunagaram township shouting slogans like “Chalo-Chalein-Saath Chalein(let’s walk together), “May we have your attention-Let’s all practice/support Inclusion”, “The society is at a junction-Inclusion is the right direction”, “When everyone is included, everyone wins”, ‘Divided we lose-Included we win’, “ मैं नहीं, हम” (Not me, we), ‘Cheyyalenani cheppaku cheyagalanani cheppu”(don’t say I can’t, say I can)” were shouted all along the walkathon by the school children, dignitaries, friends of Arunodaya (volunteers), officials of RINL.
Mrs. Anju Mohanty, Vice-President, Visteel Mahila Samithi, Dr. KH Prakash, CGM (Medical & Health services), Mrs. V. Raja Rajeswari, Principal, Arunodaya Special school, Mrs. Vani Deshikachar, Founder member, advisor and joint secretary, Arunodaya Special school, several RINL officials, parents, teachers and staff of Arunodaya Special school actively participated in the program.
