PETALING JAYA: As part of its ongoing efforts towards building a more inclusive society for everyone, RYTHM Foundation, the social impact initiative of the QI Group, and the Taarana School for children with special needs, organised a special day of engaging with its students to foster a better understanding of the differently-abled community.
Celebrating diversity and advocating for inclusion has been at the heart and soul of the school’s identity since it was established by the Foundation 2010. This mission was apparent at Taarana School’s Canteen Day held here on Feb 18.
The three-hour event was held over the weekend to raise awareness about the importance of nurturing each neurodiverse child’s needs while also encouraging positive engagement between the students and their parents, teachers, family and friends as well as the management of the QI Group in Malaysia, as part of initiatives to advocate for inclusion.
Taarana school seeks to unlock every child’s ability and help them to become active, contributing members of society by equipping them with essential life skills to empower them to be as independent as possible. The Canteen Day event sought to highlight how emphasis on building relationships and life skills can have the potential to foster greater autonomy in all differently-abled children.
Principal of Taarana, Dr S. Sunitha said, “Everyone, young or old, can have a handy collection of life skills like basic cooking with a little practice and our goal at Taarana is to help these differently-abled students learn these skills with enthusiasm while embracing their individuality. Each child has their own learning style and way of perceiving the world, so today’s event showcased this to the community around them.”
The students aged 9 to 14 showed off some of the life skills they picked up through their Taarana curriculum, such as communication, cooking, counting skills and more at the Canteen Day while raising funds to be channelled back to the school and its students.
“By introducing life skills early on, these children with special needs gain the tools to help build their self-esteem and improve their happiness in all areas of their lives as they grow up and transition from school to adult life. Our hope is to keep building them up while educating the communities around them to help increase their independence at home, in school and in their community,” said Dr Sunitha.
