Meet Chitra Shah, Social Worker Who Is Transforming Lives Of Several Differently-Abled Children In TN

Chitra Shah is a social worker who is transforming the lives of several children by making them independent. She stays busy all day round with the kids belonging to different sects of life; some have developmental disorders, some are traumatised, and some are children of commercial sex workers and prisoners.

Shah is the founding member and presently the director of Satya Special School (SSS), which started to function in 2003 and ventured into a project, Alternative Inclusive Centre for Education (AICE) at Villianur town of Puducherry in 2017.

She knew that these kids did not possess the same skillset as other kids; therefore, they could not join the mainstream schools. Many of these children were slow learners, and some had dyslexia. In fact, in most cases, teachers and even their parents had given up on them.

How Does AICE Work?

AICE does not work on an age-specific curriculum, just like many mainstream schools. Instead, it focuses on an ability-specific curriculum for the children. Shah said, "We don't look at the whole syllabus, but only what they can learn. Teaching is one-to-one or in smaller groups with specific skillsets. It is more of visual and practical learning," quoted The New Indian Express.

An assessment of the learning ability and social behaviour pattern is conducted at AICE. The teaching procedure and curriculum are based on the minimum condition determined by the government. Since its establishment in four years, AICE has been triumphant with 125 children under its wing, including 50 children with special needs, 200 in conflict with the law, and several others.

Children From All Sects

Priya (fictitious name), a 20-year-old belonging to a village, studied at a community college and was considered a slow learner. However, at AICE, it was discovered that she was traumatised child after she was sexually abused. Different education methods such as alternative therapy models such as drama, art, music and counselling helped her slowly open up and overcome the trauma to a more considerable extent. Today, Priya is a young woman heading towards completing her diploma and taking up a rewarding career.

Pawan (fictitious name) is a prisoner's child, but as AICE provides children with a judgement-free zone, the institute has significantly helped him. He said nobody ever asked him about his father or profession, and no one has ever bullied him for his father's mistakes. Currently, Pawan is taking up his Class 10 board examinations.

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