Help with Food
In Belarus, Star of Hope partners with the BelAPDIiMI organization working primarily on behalf of children with special needs. This includes providing support for daytime activities for children with special needs and parents groups, Through international occupational therapists, physical therapists, specialist teachers and others, we provide transfer of knowledge to the Belarus health professionals and authorities which in many areas is changing their way of working.
Unedited Report of BelAPDIiMI
Parents bringing up children with severe disabilities often face difficulties on development motor activity of their children, caring problems. Social workers of the NGO "BelAPDIiMI" organized training courses on kinesthetics, with the involvement of specialists from Switzerland and Austria. 7 parents of the organization from Minsk and Bobruisk have been trained. At the end of the theoretical part of the course, the trainers visited families of the participants of the seminar in the home, and gave parents practical recommendations. The participants of the course will be able to transfer gained knowledge and experience to other parents bringing up children with disabilities.
A specialist from Austria carried out a training activity on hippo-therapy ("treatment with the help of the horse") for parents on invitation of the employees of NGO "BelAPDIiMI". The activity was very useful for children from organizational structures. They also got a lot of fun.
Still there have been large boarding institutions in Belarus where children with disabilities live up to 18 years. According to statistics there are 8 boarding institutions for children with mental and multiple disabilities in Belarus where about 1700 people live. After 18 years they are transferred to adult neuropsychiatric boarding institutions where they live until the end of their life. The service of assisted living which was included into the new Law on Social Services on the initiative of the NGO "BelAPDIiMI" can prevent the transition of these children to boarding institutions for adults.
Social workers of the NGO "BelAPDIiMI" took part in a training seminar for employees of children’s boarding institutions as a trainer. The seminar was aimed at the introduction of new methods of practical work with children with severe and multiple developmental disabilities, social adaptation of children of the boarding institutions aimed at preparation for assisted living outside the boarding institution.
Support of families within the framework of social and psychological services "Attention to families bringing up a special child", Four new families (1 from Minsk, 3 from the regions of Belarus) have addressed the social workers during February. Families received a special methodical literature and videos, information on rehabilitation institutions, emotional and psychological support, legal information, etc.
Support of families that addressed earlier continues at their request. For example, the family of Olga M. Two children (sons) live in the countryside in a remote region of Belarus. The younger child has Down's syndrome.
During the mother’s stay at the Children's Surgical Center in Minsk (an operation to replace the pacemaker of the heart) the support was provided to the family.
One family bringing up a girl with Down's syndrome (which was assisted earlier) passed to the library of BelAPDIiMI personal literature on development of such children. This literature can be used by other parents. They also sent photos of their girls (they had one more healthy girl). They both are happy!
"BelAPDIiMI" on the New Year's Eve organized a contest "Letter to Grandfather Frost". It was a pleasure to receive letters from children with disabilities where they told how they helped their parents, how they tried to learn, and where they told of course about their dreams.
We helped to make the dream of 16 years old Dima from Grodno comes true. - "I just wanted to come to MINSK, to DOLPHINARIUM, to swim with the dolphins". Dima's dream was shot by Belarusian television.
Link to this video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK0qAjR5uvo
Elena Titova and all the staff of BelAPDIiMI, sorry for the low image quality.
