CIC: Health and Disabilities
Community care for mentally disabled children
Opening up a new world
When 7-year-old Undral Uranchimeg from Mongolia's capital city
Ulaanbaatar was born she had trouble breathing. As a result, Undral
developed a learning disability and lost her ability to speak.
After her parent's divorced in 2005, Undral went to live with her
mother and aunt. Her mother stayed at home to take care of her.
Life was a struggle as Undral's mother didn't have the birth
registration documents needed to receive support from the
government and she had no money coming in.
In 2008, Undral joined World Vision's community care programme
in Mongolia for children with learning disabilities such as autism,
cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome and hydrocephalus (a buildup of
fluid on the brain). The project, which is funded through the
generosity of CIC donors, promotes the right to quality education
for all children with learning difficulties.
With the help of World Vision-trained teachers and social
workers, Undral can now understand and speak some words. She enjoys
getting massages and participating in sports, and she's developed
key social skills for getting along with other children. Undral
also receives regular medical checks and has learned basic hygiene
and life skills, such as getting dressed and washing dishes.
Advocating for equal opportunities
One of themain aims of this CIC project is to help socialise
children with learning difficulties so that they can eventually
enter into Mongolia's formal education system. These children learn
to develop their speech, memory and concentration - vital skills
for the school classroom. The project also teaches parents, school
teachers and social workers how to look after the children in their
care, and effective ways to advance the children's mental and
physical development. Undral now attends a kindergarten in
Ulaanbaatar's Bayangol district, along with healthy children.
Project staff have also helped Undral's mother, who now has a job,
get social welfare support.
New classrooms, new hope
In the past year, World Vision has opened two new classrooms for
children with learning difficulties at its day care centres in the
Khovsgul and Khenti provinces (World Vision also operates a day
care centre in Ulaanbaatar city). The day care centres provide
complete care and support for 39 children aged between three and
14. The children's development is constantly monitored with the
close involvement of the children's caregivers.
"If you help, I can do"
Many children with disabilities in Mongolia face discrimination
at both a local and government level. World Vision launched a local
and national public awareness programme campaign called "If you
help, I can do" with funds from CIC donors. The campaign is part of
a wider public awareness campaign to encourage public support for
children with disabilities.
How can you get involved?
Your contribution to the CIC: Health and Disabilities
fund has helped to enrich the lives of many children with learning
disabilities in Mongolia. Below are just some of the other ways
your donation has made a difference:
- Thirteen children from World Vision's day care centres in
Ulaanbaatar have now enrolled in kindergartens with healthy
children.
- Two hundred and sixty eight parents have participated in six
training sessions throughout the year to help them understand how
to care for their children's special needs.
- Parents of children at the Ulaanbaatar day care centre have
been trained by professional masseurs to massage their children at
home to help with their physical development.
- The Mongolian government now provides food throughout the year
for the children attending the World Vision day care centres.