Mysore/Mysuru:  In yet another initiative for the welfare of special children, Chamaraja MLA K. Harishgowda inaugurated a Physiotherapy Centre and a Occupational Training Unit for Differently Abled at Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled premises in Vijayanagar 2nd Stage here recently.

Speaking on the occasion, Harishgowda said that children with disabilities face numerous physical, mental and societal challenges in the path of their development.

Noting that Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Psychiatric Treatment will play a key role in shaping the growth of special children, he lauded the Samarthanam Trust for its initiatives in taking care of special children.

District Disabled Welfare Officer Shankargouda Patil, in his address, said that Occupational Training will largely help persons with disabilities to get employment/ self-employed and to lead an independent life.

Pointing out that the Training Unit will facilitate skills and practical training for specially abled youths, he highlighted the practical training given in the Unit and explained how it benefits the disabled to get employed and thus contribute to the society.

The Trust’s Trustee Boosegowda, who too spoke, said that the Training Unit will hold classes on candle making, clay art works, tailoring etc. Youths in the age group of 18 to 30 years and having mild intellectual disability (previously known as mild mental retardation), will be trained at this Unit, he added.

Child Development Project Officer Thibbaiah, Karnataka State Disabled and Caregivers Federation President Sridhar Dikshit, Samarthanam School Principal Dr. K. Geetha, Prasanna Kumar, Lavanya, Srinivas Reddy, M. Shivaraju, Chaitrakumari, Mantesh, Bhramarambha, Padma, Brindabai, Vidyavathi, Ningamani, Pandu, Mahadevu and others were present.