News
- “Bolivia is not doing enough to protect girls against sexual violence"
- New projects against child exploitation in Ehiopia
- Government promises action against Dutch pedophiles in foreign countries
- Bangladeshi projects make headlines in Dutch newspapers
- Foundation stone for new vocational training institute in Bangladesh
- Project Partner Koinonia helps flood victims return to school
- Terre des Hommes hospital ship no longer needed
- Flood relief in Sri lanka
- Terre des Hommes draws the attention of the United Nations to the human rights of trafficked children
- The Hague Global Child Labour Conference
- For a reinforcement of children’s rights
Working children
13 year old Nandini, seen in the picture above, never went to school. She works as a weaver to supplement her family's income. Thanks to local project partner Society for Human Education (SHE) Nandini attends non formal education classes for out-of-school children. Non formal education provides working children the opportunity to study at a convenient place, pace and time. Nandini is studying for her 10th standard diploma.
Mentally Handicapped Children and Families Project
Project code
: LK-014A
Project period:
01/03/2011 to 31/03/2013
| Programme | Health | Funds needed | €0.00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Sri Lanka | People supported directly | 420 |
| Project location | Nuwara Eliya | People supported indirectly | 2520 |
Mencafep runs a project for mentally disabled children and their families in the Nuwara Eliya district. A primary goal in the treatment and management of the mentally underdeveloped child is optimal development of the child's strengths, taking into account individual interests, personal experiences and available resources. It is particularly important that mentally less developed children receive special education and training, ideally beginning in infancy.
The project has a special education unit, a sheltered workshop/ vocational training unit, a profoundly disabled unit, an integrated pre/play school unit, a home visit and outreach unit, special education satellite centres and a special seating unit.
In Sri Lanka, people with disabilities are among the poorest segment of the population. There are superstitious beliefs associating disability and individuals who have disability with misfortune and perceiving them as omens of bad luck. From all children with disabilities mentally disabled children face the most exclusion and discrimination. These children have very few options related to inclusive education and special education, which could make a huge difference to their development. There is a lack of special schools and facilities, as well as trained teachers.
Mencafep is one of the few NGOs working with disabled children in Sri Lanka through a community based approach.