Remember Helen Keller! – II

June – a month dedicated to people with deafblindness all over the world

“The best and most beautiful things in life cannot be seen, not even touched. They must be felt from the heart”. These words belong to Helen Keller, the best known person with deafblindness in the whole world. Every year, in June, the entire world celebrates the International Deafblind Awareness Week.

Within the project Early Intervention for Multisensory Impaired Babies – A Unique and Innovative Approach Initiated by the Civil Society, Sense International (Romania) has organized various activities to mark this international celebration. The project is co-financed by a grant from Switzerland through the Swiss Contribution to the enlarged European Union, the Swiss-Romanian Cooperation Thematic Fund for Civil Society Participation, the Block Grant for NGOs –Social Component.

126 children with deafblindness and multisensory impairments, parents, grandparents and teachers from Bucharest, Iasi, Oradea and Timisoara attended various activities, all with the purpose to increase awareness about the specific problems of people with deafblindness in Romania.

In Bucharest, children from the Special Kindergarten for Children with Hearing Impairments no. 65, their parents and educators painted, drew and spent a wonderful day of horse riding at the Equine Base Baneasa under the motto: “we are unique, we can create, have fun, learn and we want you to get to know us!”

In Iasi, at the Early Intervention Support Centre from the Vasile Pavelcu Technological Highschool, a sensory stimulation workshop has been organized for children and parents, specialists (ENT doctors, neonatologists, physiotherapists), early intervention workers and 10 volunteers from the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences – Psychology and Special Education departments.

In Oradea, children, parents and teachers from the School Centre for Inclusive Education Cristal, as well as representatives of local authorities, attended an interactive painting event called „My Child”, based on quotes from the book „Story of My Life”, written by Helen Keller. Parents were asked to draw their children’s tiny hands and personalise them according to their child’s specific features. The event ended with a hydrotherapy session for children and parents.

In Timisoara, children, parents and teachers spent wonderful moments at the Aqua Sport Arena where, guided by physiotherapists, they combined the curative effect of hydrotherapy with the joy of swimming.

You can download the official Press Release HERE.