The UN General Assembly
declared December 3rd as the International Day of Persons with
Disabilities. A disability should not be an
obstacle to the individual’s development and progress. The protection of rights
of persons with disabilities, ensuring an accessible environment, and respect
for persons with disabilities should become a priority for all of us.
The Human Rights Defender’s
representatives visited “My Way” Socio-Rehabilitation Day Care Center ahead of
the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
“My Way” Socio-Rehabilitation
Day Care Center has been operating for already 14 years and is envisaged for
adolescents and young people with autism. There were only eight children when
the center was opened. The foundation’s board of trustees is comprised of four
individuals; and it was due to them, the parents of children with autism that
the foundation was founded. The “My Way” Center already has 180 students. And
in 2020 that number will reach 200. American and European methods are applied
here, and these methods, according to the founders, proved to be effective. In
the beginning, they work with children making them predictable and manageable,
and then, help them with profession and occupation choice based on the European
experience.
Children with a phenomenal
memory, exceptional musical talent and extraordinary creative skills spend the
large part of the day at the Center. They play music, participate in therapy
classes, make postcards or dolls, engage in pottery or paint.
The 19 years old Vartan plays
the piano, and, lately, he also started playing the xylophone. Vartan has a phenomenal
memory. Just tell him a birth date and month, and he will tell you on which week
day that event took place in a couple of seconds. Improvisation is an integral
part of their musical life; they sing and play just with the help of their
visual memory. Their compositions are also a result of their vivid imagination
that allows playing without notes.
The jubilant Anush always has
bright colors on her canvas. Everyone in the center calls the fifteen-year-old
a tidy girl as all of her surroundings should always be clean.
In the relative room for
creative work, the pupils are getting ready for the New |Year by preparing
candles and postcards, as well as the symbols of the holiday and the upcoming
year. Vahan is responsible for making multicolored candles.
The world’s kindest children
with their hidden talents rush to their beloved center every morning, to their
favorite teachers and start everything afresh: Suren sings the song about the little
boy, Rafael and Vartan play Komitas, Anushik paints a rainbow, and Vahan
prepares New Year presents.
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