PA/05/15 9 February 2015
Australian High Commissioner inaugurates a Technology Centre for Differently-abled Children at Tamana
Australia’s High Commissioner, Mr Patrick Suckling, today inaugurated a new Technology Centre at Tamana’s ‘Nai Disha’ School that helps the mentally challenged, the multi-disabled and the autistic.
Mr Suckling addressed the children in Hindi , which was met with a loud applause by the students and teachers present. He said “The Australian Government is privileged to associate with Tamana and contribute to this great cause. The Australian Government is committed to lending a helping hand to NGOs that support India’s economic development and strengthen communities. “
“The children of this school are extraordinary and I am very happy to be present here today,” he added.
Tamana students grooved to the hit numbers ‘Jai Ho’, ‘I am a Barbie Girl’ and ‘Desh mera rangeela’ during a short cultural programme they presented.
The Technology Centre has been established at Tamana School through funding provided by the Australian High Commission’s Direct Aid Program (DAP). DAP funds have enabled Tamana to purchase 20 computers with UPS backup, printers, and furniture.
The technology centre will be used to transform Tamana’s curriculum into e-books, and will be accessible for differently-abled students. In addition, the centre will be used to train 250 students from underprivileged communities which Tamana supports.
Under the Direct Aid Program (DAP), the Australian High Commission provides small grants for activities that support development and strengthen communities in India and Bhutan. Over the past decade, the program has funded over 190 projects in India and Bhutan, distributing over Rs 10 crore to support small-scale sustainable development projects.
Established in 1984, Tamana is a non-profit organisation that helps the mentally challenged, the multi-disabled and the autistic. It offers tailored educational programs to individuals that include special education, academic programs through the National Institute for Open Schooling (NIOS), therapeutic interventions and vocational training. Each centre of Tamana offers speech, occupational and physiotherapy, life skills training, computer education, music and dance, weight management and physical fitness, sports and extracurricular activities, counselling, behaviour modification, diagnostics as well as assessment facilities, and family counselling. For more information about Tamana, visit them at http://www.tamana.org/