Girl Guides strive for a more inclusive society
View(s):In opening its doors to the differently abled, the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association (SLGGA) recently conducted a National Centenary Camp, which turned out to be a promising effort towards building a more inclusive society.
The SLGGA has been around since 1917 and the Association’s Branch for Differently Abled Guides was founded in 1924, just seven years after. It has since been working hard to recognise those with mental and physical disabilities, and include these girls and young women in the world of Guiding.
The initial companies included the Khan Memorial Ward at the National Hospital in Colombo for children with disabilities, School for the Hearing and Speech Impaired and the School for the Visually Impaired in Ratmalana, and later extended to the Nuffield School for Hearing and Visually Impaired in Kaithady, Jaffna. The Branch also extended guiding to socially handicapped girls in the Prison Rehabilitation Centres at Gangodawila and Mirigama.
Currently, the organisation counts a membership of 480 spread over 22 institutions from the North, South, West and East. The highlight of the Branch’s programme is introducing Guiding to the Special Education Units of the schools. Three pilot projects have been lined up in the Eastern Province, with the regular Guide companies. In addition to badge work and being recognised as a Girl Guide like the other Guides, the programmes include activities to harness the potential of these girls such as indoor and outdoor camping, crafts, concerts to display their talents, and ‘fun days’.
Highlights of the Branch for the Differently Abled’s plans:
• Caregiver programmes for parents and teachers to help caregivers inculcate in differently abled children the sense of responsibility required to take care of themselves and to be independent.
• Empowering Guiders/Leaders with more skills and training.
• Initiating hands-on training for the differently abled employee through the facilitation of the Employer’s Federation
• Workshops for the key stakeholders by being a catalyst between the corporate sector and the differently abled, to be a liaison between the employable employee and the employer, and especially to facilitate the security and safety of the girl employee. This was highlighted at an Initiative Meeting by the University of Colombo.
Many of these efforts were witnessed at the National Centenary Camp held at the Army Infantry Training School in Minneriya from August 23 – 27. Among the Guides who participated were 20 differently abled Guides from the North, East, and Western provinces, along with 1,000 other Guides.They participated in a number of sporting events during the camp, including throwball and cricket matches.
Apart from the fun, games and community events, the SLGGA’s Branch for Differently Abled Guides also pays a great deal of attention to awareness and education on care-giving. Most events organised by this branch include workshops for caregivers, and the recent Centenary Celebrations were no exception.
The All Island Branch for the Differently Abled Guiders held a training session at the SLGGA National Headquarters in Colombo, while separate training sessions were also conducted in Batticaloa and in Jaffna.
The last training session was held on September 8 and 9 for Guiders of the Branch for the Differently Abled to enhance guiding skills and first aid. Recently, two Guides from the School for the Deaf, Ratmalana, were the first to receive the ‘Blue All Round Cord’, the highest award for the Differently Abled Guides and this year the SLGGA welcomed 15 Guides from the School for the Blind in Ratmalana.
Funding however, remains a crucial challenge. Most partner institutions cannot afford the extra-curricular activities, and the SLGGA therefore depends heavily on contributions from either individuals or organisations.
An All Island Differently Abled Guides ‘Fun Day’ was held on October 14.