Canvassing support for the differently-abled ...Mansi Choksi I TNN
Mumbai: When Namita Basu (name changed) joined the SPJ Sadhana School for the Mentally-Challenged on Bhulabhai Desai Road, she was moody and stubborn. The six-year-old would either stop responding or get violent. Today, at 25, she is a composed, soft-spoken woman who is an enthusiastic painter.
Forty others like Basu who were born with a congenital condition called Down’s Syndrome—characterised by cognitive and physical impairment—got a morale boost when Om Creations, an NGO, showcased their creative skills at an exhibition held on Tuesday.
“Even though their IQ is below 50, they have immense creative potential. It just needs to be tapped. It’s about belief, we need to have faith in them so they can believe in themselves. It’s not enough to assist them, we employ them in order to instil a sense of confidence and accomplishment,’’ said the NGO’s founder Radhike Khanna.
The women, aged between 20 and 53 years, earn a monthly stipend after completing a training course from Sadhana School in their chosen field: visual arts and craft or hospitality and catering. Sheriff Indu Shahani, who attended the exhibition, has promised to help the NGO spread awareness about Down’s Syndrome and its causes.
Celebrities such as Karisma Kapoor, Mandira Bedi and Dimple Kapadia also attended the exhibition. Kapoor also placed an order with the NGO for return-gifts for her daughter’s birthday party. Incidentally, the show was a huge success, with most paintings getting sold.
SHOWING OFF THEIR TALENT: Karisma Kapoor with her aunt Reema Kapoor at an exhibition organised by an NGO that employs the differently-abled
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