Foreword

Greetings from Swabodhini!

This March was very special for our Swabodhini family as we celebrated our 35th year’s Annual Day. Our parents proudly walked the ramp on stage with their children holding their heads high and waving to the audience telling them that they are no less than their counterparts in our society. There were a variety of cultural programmes ranging from classical dance, skit, musical drama, western dance to singing along with the music stalwart Ranjith Govind and what not! As a mark of love, respect and gratitude, the management and students thanked all the stakeholders – parents, teachers, sponsors and donors through a “Thank You” song and dance sequence. We were greatly honoured to have Shri Sunil Paliwal IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, TamilNadu Government and Chairperson Chennai Port Authority and Kamarajar Port Ltd as our chief guest and Shri Viswanathan IAS, Vice Chairman Chennai Port Authority and Shrimathi Irene Cynthia IAS Managing Director Kamarajar Port Ltd as guests of honour and Mr Ranjith Govind, playback singer as our special guest.

Our students won many prizes in the Sports Meet conducted by the Rotary club of Chennai Central Elite. Our students of the vocational stream performed a western dance at the cultural event – “Pinnacle, Staff Recognition and Rewards” of AGS Health at Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam and got a standing ovation from the audience. Our students participated in the Inclusive Spectrum Programme conducted by the National Institute of Fashion Technology and sang songs with the college students.

Ms.Rebekah Lyons, Managing Director and Ms.Denise Flood, College Director from Portobello Institute Ireland, Ms Rinku Mecheri, Founder Chennai Volunteers and Mrs Uma Ramesh from ICMA Washington DC visited our campus and interacted with our students.

Meet you with fresh updates next month!

Best Regards,

Ms Nandini Priyakumari
Principal
Swabodhini School and Vocational Center for Special Children

On 16^th Saturday our students participated in “Rotary Club of Chennai Central Elite ” Sports Meet. We are extremely happy that our students won several prizes and brought laurels to our school. Keerthika got first prize in Frog Jumping, Aradhana got second prize in Potato Gathering, Nithish won second prize in Running Race.

On 18^th March our principal received “Veeramangai Rani Velu Nachiyar Vocational Excellence Award 2024” awarded by Rotary Club of Madras Central.

Ms Sowmiya, our Head of Therapy department conducted a variety of activities in all our three centres

on the occasion of World Down’s Syndrome Day and sent a note to the parents.

Dear Parents,

Today marks World Down Syndrome Day, a day of celebration, awareness, and inclusion. As parents of special needs children, you understand the unique challenges and triumphs that come with raising a child with diverse abilities. Today, we want to highlight the incredible potential and achievements of all children, regardless of any perceived limitations.

At Swabodhini, we believe in the limitless potential of every student. That’s why, in honor of World Down Syndrome Day, our dedicated teachers and therapists organized a special interactive session aimed at fostering understanding, empathy, and empowerment among our students.

During the session, we utilized a PowerPoint presentation to engage students in meaningful discussions about diversity, inclusion, and the importance of embracing differences. Through interactive activities and thought-provoking discussions, we encouraged students to recognize that no disability should ever be viewed as a constraint to success.

We emphasized the message that every individual, regardless of their abilities, has unique talents, strengths, and contributions to offer. By fostering a culture of acceptance and support, we empower all students to reach their full potential and pursue their dreams without limitations.

As parents, you play a crucial role in reinforcing these values at home. Encourage your child to embrace diversity, show kindness to others, and believe in their own abilities. Together, we can create a world where every individual is valued, respected, and given the opportunity to thrive.

On this World Down Syndrome Day, let us celebrate the beauty of diversity and reaffirm our commitment to creating a more inclusive society for all.

With warm regards,

R. Sowmiya
Head – Therapy services

On March 14^th Kalvi40 team from BumbleB Trust visited our Tondiarpet Center. We have partnered with BumbleB Trust’s Kalvi40 team for their community based rehabilitation program to assess children with special needs in rural areas.

We are very happy to share that our vocational students gave a performance at the AGS Cultural Event, (AGS Health – our corporate sponsor) which took place on March 23rd at the World Trade Centre. We were moved by the incredibly passionate audience supporting our students.

Ms.Rebekah Lyons, Managing Director,Portobello Institute and Ms.Denise Flood College Director Portobello Institute, Founder CV Director GMF Ms. Rinku Mecheri visited our Thiruvanmiyur Centre and Velachery Centre.

Mrs Uma Ramesh qualified CPA from ICMA Washington DC visited our Thiruvanmiyur Centre and Velachery centre on 26th March.

On 21st March our vocational students and NIFT students sang together as part of the National Institute of Fashion Technology’s Inclusive Spectrum program.

Ms. Dharshini, pursuing MSW at Guru Nanak College, finished her internship at our Velachery Centre. On 13th March she organised a motivational talk for support staff members by Ms. Pavithra Sanal.

Ms. Lalitha, pursuing MSW at Guru Nanak College, finished her internship at our Velachery Centre.On 13th March she organized a community outreach program on Road Safety for our students by Rtd.Inspector Mr.M.Selvaraju.

On 27th March Ms.Vidhya Madhavan, Centre Head and Ms.Archana from Chettinad – Sath Sadhana, a centre for holistic learning to promote students’ physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.