Recreational Hobbies for 200 children with special needs in Bangalore, India

Tamahar works for children with developmental delay due to brain damage. Apart from regular alternative therapies, we focus on the importance of recreational activities in the holistic wellness of these children. Currently we are working with over 60 children in Bangalore and believe that they deserve to go beyond mere survival and should get the opportunity to explore variety of games and fun programs like any other children. The idea is not to impart skills but to bring them sheer joy.

Recreational or leisure activities are always neglected for disabled children. Moreover, there is always a lack of understanding of benefits of recreation for children among parents. In a hectic therapy/caretaking schedule for mere survival, recreation inevitably takes a back seat. On the other hand, it's assumed that these children are not capable of playing sports or learning hobbies the "right" way. As a result, there are hardly any recreational centers available for children with special needs.

We have started conducting hobby classes for the children on alternate Saturdays. The children are provided with various services like badminton coaching, art and drama classes, sports activities and music classes. We are witnessing a remarkable progress in their emotional well-being, social skills and improved participation in core therapies. We hope to have a full-fledged recreational center for these children with all sorts of activities under one roof.

The project aims to reach out to 200 children in the coming two years. The primary objective of this project is to create a friendly, fun-filled environment for the children. It will also improves their motor skills and help develop their social skills. It is a gradual process to empower children with special needs to grow into confident adults ready for their eventual inclusion in mainstream society.