Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

A memorable treat for children with disability

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KABEER YOUSUF -


Children at the Association for Early Intervention of Children with Disabilities in Muscat were given a treat of a life time.


In a charity event that hopes to inspire others to follow suit, the children were given lots of toys, colouring tools and equipment. But what is remarkable is the fun filled day that AkzoNobel, a leading global paints company in the country has prepared for them.


AkzoNobel has proven through this activity that it’s not always a donation in monetary form that make a less-privileged or a specially-abled child happy but a sincere smile, a pat, or even a caressing look and even more memorable, a day spent on quality entertainment for the young ones.


“We aim to provide children with special needs with every possible opportunity to enjoy their rights, the ability to fully integrate in society as individuals and to let the society benefit of services provided by the Association and the community at large while helping these children live dignified lives,” Sabah al Bahlani, the head of the association, said.


Over 40 employees volunteered to spend time with the children, engaging them in role playing, motor skill development toys and painting.


The association has undertaken educational and advocacy role to improve societal awareness of people with special needs. This is part of their community programmes under the Human Cities initiative in the region.


One of the children beneficiary expressed her happiness with the donations, saying: “With all the new art materials at the centre, I now look forward to coming here every morning and making new paintings.”


The Early Intervention Center is the only center in Oman to provide children, from birth to the age of six specialised programmes that cover all developmental areas. Since its inception, the centre’s philosophy has been to continuously develop and upgrade its staff and build a partnership with parents of children with disability as these are the key elements in the success of any rehabilitation programme.


“We believe that children are our future and supporting and nurturing young minds and assisting them can transform their lives for the better,” said Jeremy Rowe, Managing Director for Decorative Paints in South East, South Asia, Middle East (SESAME) region.


“We also aim to expand our services to serve larger numbers covering a wider geographic area and a wider range of disabilities while enhancing our ongoing programmes on providing education and advocacy for children with disabilities,” Al Bahlani shared.


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