Special School for Differently Abled-Children
The Orchid Prep School spread its wings to branch out to undertake special children under its ambit. Keeping this in mind, a school for Special and Underprivileged children was started in the year 2015. The school was thus named ARUSHI SCHOOL OF HOPE.
Specially trained teachers to care for the special needs of children have been enrolled. The children enrolled with us have hearing impairment where as in some cases they have a low I.Q. due to the Downs Syndrome. The children are given academic as well as vocational training. They learn dance and music on regular basis. They have been participating in interschool as well as state level programmes. Our children have brought home trophies, medals and certificates on various occasions. The Chief Minister has too honoured them from time to time for their performances at the Red Cross Fair.
To keep our services running and uphold our standards a very nominal fee is only charged from the children as most of it is funded by the school.
The A N Vij Charitable Trust has provision of providing free education to poor girls and meritorious students.
Our aim is to offer children with disabilities a high quality introduction to a successful life of learning. An all-age special school that caters for pupils with learning difficulties. Free education is given to poor and needy girls. Although it is just a humble beginning in this field, the students are less in number. We have engaged trained staff to handle these children. They take so much care that a remarkable change can be noticed in the pupils. Along with academics and extracurricular activities they are given vocational training as well.
The school began in 2013, ARUSHI – the first ray of the rising sun – is a small step to bring hope into the lives of these special and mentally challenged children.
As it is just the beginning we have a varied group of children, with low I.Q, Downs Syndrome, hearing impaired, partial hearing and autistic.
School leaders have worked tirelessly to ensure that the curriculum includes activities and tasks that are very closely matched to the needs of all. Literacy, numeracy and good communication are promoted at all times. Our programme intends to guide, encourage and support children into acknowledging their full potential and be self sufficient. To promote socialization, self-awareness, emotional satisfaction and enhance self-esteem we have a large number of activities which the children perform with fun and joy.
Student of Arushi school get hands-on training on cooking; they have learnt to make lemonade, sandwiches, cake and tea. Taking care of plants, watering them and keeping their classroom and school clean is a task they perform every day. The day begins with prayers, followed by exercise and yoga. Regular singing and dance classes are what they enjoy the most as music therapy has a secondary effect of improving socialization and self-esteem.
Children of Arushi have been giving wonderful performances during the Red Cross Fair, wherein they were awarded a cash prize of Rs. 15,000/- and Rs.10,000/- by the honourable Chief Minister who was highly impressed by their amazing performance and zeal.
Our endevour is to plan a large number of activities as we intend to make them self sufficient and teach them various skills like paper folding, clay modelling, candle making, carpentry, paper bag making and needlework etc. We will mainly focus on communication, physical and sensory development, knowledge of the world, creative development and independence/self-help skills.
As an incentive and to encourage children, one of our students, Pratul is given a stipend every month for his efforts and showcasing his independent skills.