'Best NGO' Award for SOS Children in India
14/09/2006
The work of SOS Children's Villages in India has been recognised by the Government of India, which has announced the association as recipient of the Best Non-Governmental Organisation award for its commitment to special needs children. The award will be presented at a ceremony on 22 September 2006 in New Delhi.
SOS Children's Village Khajuri Kalan, in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, opened in April 2006 to accommodate children with special needs. India currently has inadequate facilities for special needs children and the SOS Children's Village is seen as an exemplary model in this field. The care offered is all-encompassing: the SOS families are smaller than in conventional SOS Children's Villages, and SOS mothers - who have completed one and a half years of intensive training - are assisted by an additional caregiver.
All areas of each of the 12 family houses are fully accessible and special needs-friendly. In order to guarantee that the children receive individual attention, qualified caregivers offer children physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and movement therapy in openly-built facilities. There is an SOS Medical Centre on-site, which includes an outpatient clinic offering care to children from the neighbouring areas.
Presently, SOS Children's Village Khajuri Kalan cares for 68 children in its 12 family houses. The National Trust, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, instituted this annual award in 2003, which is given to organisations taking action for persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation or other disabilities.
Last year, the Indian government bestowed the National Award for Child Welfare to SOS Children's Villages of India. In 1998, SOS Children's Village Cochin won the National Award for Child Welfare.
Relevant Countries: India.