New forum launched to support differently-abled children

Outreach Qatar (OQ), a new organisation affiliated to the Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF) under the aegis of the Embassy of India, to support differently-abled children and their parents, was inaugurated recently.Indian embassy first secretary and ICBF co-ordinating officer Dr Vaibhav Tandale was the chief guest at the event held at the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC).Highlights of the event were performances by differently-abled children, co-ordinated by OQ committee member, Lakshmi Chokalingam with support from Navenapriya and facilitated by respective parents. The children surprised the audience with their level of talent and display of unexplored potential. Participants were presented with certificates and parents were recognised with mementos of appreciation for their support and co-ordination.Dr Tandale, with his comprehensive experience as a paediatrician, referred to the efforts of children as extraordinary. He appreciated the sacrifice and perseverance of the parents. He referred to the famous Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, finding perfection in imperfection, as the goal set by Outreach Qatar, which in time will display perfection and symmetry where the community once saw imperfection in these differently-abled children.Dr Tandale also quoted Kintsugi, the Japanese art of putting broken pottery together with gold and connected to the nobility imbibed in the cause of Outreach Qatar and how it is a step further on the humanitarian path to make gold of the young little ones.OQ general secretary, Sameer Moosa, in his welcome address, said this sector of service was long overdue, and the community deserves it at the earliest. President Avinash Gaikwad briefed on the intent and account of forming the entity, with a special mention of advisory council chairman P N Baburajan and other OQ team members wholeheartedly supporting the noble cause. He announced the registration of free dance and karate classes for specially-abled children at Skills Development Centre.Baburajan also explained how children can be supported through training and coaching in arts, dance and karate; co-ordination with educational institutions to accept the specially-abled children, and designing curricula to facilitate their education alongside the regular children as far as possible, providing educational and career development guidance to parents, assistance towards counselling segments for the family and community awareness sessions by experienced and qualified personalities.ICC president Manikantan A P, ICBF vice president Deepak Shetty, Indian Sports Centre president E P Abdulrahman and Mani Bharati from Qatar Tamizhar Sangam spoke.