by Sofia Silei
In Thailand, the rights of disabled people have been recognized and addressed over the past 20 years, but their real needs are still unresolved and undefined. The disabled people involved in this difficulty are about 15 million in the country if we count their families. Disability services are the responsibility of the Ministries of Public Health, Education and Labour. However, there is a lack of cooperation and coordination between the various offices, with little or no improvement in the living conditions of these people.
A major obstacle is the Thai society itself, as there is the belief, typical of Asian culture, that the person with disabilities is a sign of dishonour for the family. Part of the solution is the Camillan Home project. This constitutes a charitable organization operating on behalf of the St. Camillus Foundation of Thailand and has as its main aims the development and restoration of the potential of children with disabilities to live a life of worth and dignity in society.
This association tries to care for poor and abandoned children with disabilities as if they were one big family. Camillan Home focuses on ensuring that all children are rehabilitated in all aspects, without discrimination based on race.
All children will be rehabilitated physically, intellectually and with staff who are ready to take care of them, whether they are physical therapists or teachers. Even children with disabilities who are blind, autistic, physically disabled, and orphaned have a good quality of life and happiness.The center deals with rehabilitating children in many aspects, such as physical therapy, providing healthcare services, training & mentoring, art therapy, practice self-care skills in everyday life, round-trip transportation for children, music therapy. To take care of children, there is a very experienced multidisciplinary team, which includes, for example:
– Registered nurse
– Physical therapist
– Social worker
– Special education teacher
– Early childhood education teacher
A fundamental aspect of Camillan Home is that of dialogue with the rest of society. In fact, the organization also seeks to promote life skills in children to live with others in society. Donors, who are individuals or students, can come to the center and organize recreational activities of various kinds, such as singing, playing instruments, etc., together with children with disabilities. In this way, children can participate in activities and can cultivate good relationships with others. This leads to a greater appreciation of the value of human dignity, especially for these children, who deserve to live a happy life in their place of origin and to be supported most appropriately.
On the cover photo, screenshot from the Camillan Home project website
