PANAJI
Nearly four-dozen deaf students drawn from various schools across the State were imparted leadership skills and other life skills at a first of its kind camp in Valpoi recently.
The two-day camp which was attended by 45 deaf students aged between 10 and 17 years was held at the Shree Anant Chhaya, Joshi House in Valpoi and organised by the Goa Association of the Deaf (GAD).
Apart from fostering leadership skills, activities at the camp were designed to also instil in the deaf students a sense of self-responsibility and educational awareness.
The State government’s Social Welfare Department also collaborated in conducting the camp and played a key role in bringing together the 45 deaf students from the four special schools: Lokvishwas Pratishthan School for Hearing Impairment Children at Ponda, Sanjay Centre for Special Education at Porvorim, St Xavier’s Academy for Special Education at Old Goa and Gujarati Samaj Educational Trust for Special Education in Margao.
Students from Goa University’s programme for a Diploma in Teaching Indian Sign Language also actively participated. Sessions and activities were designed to develop essential skills among the deaf children and Sadiya Bandodkar conducted the module for engaging participants in art activities.
The session on communication skills was conducted by Lakhan Anandani while Rahul Kunkolienkar facilitated ISL storytelling and games, the Deaf Association Secretary Prasad Joshi said.
Joshi himself organised the leadership and team-building activities at the camp, providing a blend of fun and learning and touching on aspects like collaboration and self-confidence among the participants.
Social Welfare director, Ajit Panchwadkar, was the chief guest at the concluding function and former State Child Rights Protection Commission chairman Peter Borges was a special invitee.
