Coimbatore, December 8
This Sunday, December 10 is going to be a special one, as in a first of its kind initiative more than thousand persons here will walk to create awareness on children with special needs.
Initiated by Kaumaram Prashanthi Academy, a school for children with special needs, the walkathon will be flagged off from Nehru stadium at 7 am on December 10.
It will comprise a 1 km and 5 km run. The 1 km will be predominantly for children with special needs while the 5km walk is for the open category.
Briefing on the initiative, Deepa Mohanraj, Founder and Director of the school, stated: "The initiative focusses on addressing the 'inclusivity' part of the special kids. People still see the special kids with lot of apprehensions. Be it autistic or physically-challenged children, they seek none other than love and compassion from fellow beings. But when they are distanced and denied of love, they tend to get highly disturbed and distressed. And, moreover parents of such special kids live in agony, as they feel left out, cursed and hence seclude themselves from the society. As a voice for all such parents and kids, we have come out with this one-of-a-kind initiative to recognise and embolden them with positivity and confidence".
Around, 95 occupational therapy students from Kovai Medical Center and Hospitals, volunteers from Edusports and Decatholon will help in the smooth conduct of the walkathon, she added.
"Of the participants, around 450-500 kids with special needs would be walking along with their parents to show they are inferior to none and all that they seek is inclusivity and compassion from fellow beings. And, 130 kids are from our academy", noted Deepa, who is also the managing trustee of Kaumaram Prashanthi Trust.
The special walkathon starts from Nehru stadium and will pass through VOC park, Stanes school, The Hindu office, Officers' Club and terminate near the Nehru stadium. On the spot registrations are also accepted.