On 9th April 2024, the students of the integrated B.Ed. programme of Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeeth visited the Buds Rehabilitation Centre in Edakatuvayal. Buds Rehabilitation Centres (BRCs) are day care centres for mentally challenged persons 16 years and older. BRCs are part of a Kudumbashree initiative to fill a gap in the State’s existing system for providing care to the mentally challenged that caters only to persons up to 18 years of age. BRCs, unlike BUDS Schools, do not have special education; the centres are meant for those who have already undergone special education through BUDS schools or other centres. However, centres are also open to mentally challenged children who are unable to attend school.
The B.Ed. students aimed to understand the various aspects of a special education school and the requirements of being a carer in such schools. Apart from carrying gifts such as building blocks, rings, notebooks and crayons, they prepared games, dances and gifts for the specially-abled to engage with them fruitfully.
A group of students led by the very artistic Aswanth, Menakshy, Ashwathy, Vaishnavy, Helen, Agnes Niba and Shreya from the ITEP English and Maths department painted a beautiful sea-themed mural on the walls of the Centre. They also painted a tree using the students’ handprints as leaves.
To support the efforts and the rehabilitation, the students purchased carpets made by these students. The afternoon ended with serving them food and cleaning up. It was a wholesome and joyous experience where CVVians got to experience firsthand what it means to be in the company of those who are only older in years and not accepted by society. They had nothing but pure love and innocence to offer in every little interaction that took place.