Bloom in Brussels

Feast for the eyes!

ERR

Bring Global Handwash into Mid-Day Meals

Global Handwashing Day was celebrated on October, 15, 2008.
It is a matter of delight and pride we had raised this topic in ‘Giving it a shot’ a couple of months back on 6th June , 2008
(http://gvk-givingitashot.blogspot.com/2008/06/two-simple-practises-for-better-health.html)

With increasing mortality and morbidity rates amongst our children and medical facility woefully inadequate, child specialists and educationalists have grappled with the question of how we can make our children from repeatedly falling sick and making them more and more hygene-conscious.It is while discussing this topic amongst friends, an idea came if we can somehow keep our children clean before they eat food, at least the poison from the toys, street muck, cattle bacteria could be kept away. The idea was strengthened by the fact that children stay half their waking hours in school and that is where they are most likely to pick up infections, bacteria, bugs and what have you.
Since a majority of schools provide hot midday meals to our children, if we can incorporate a system of thorough handwash with soap and drying up with a clean towel, it would be a major preventive and precautionary step and an important step in the right direction. It is not easy to put in to practice everyday and weeks and months. It needs great involvement from the school, the staff, the support staff and the parents themselves.
Since Government funds mid day meals, perhaps an incremental allocation for soap or soap solution, clean towel should take care of the necessary infrastructure. What is more important is the dedication, discipline by all involved to make this a success. Even Corporate Houses can be persuaded to get involved and fund this as part of their social commitment.
One thing is certain. If they get involved and make sure it is practiced until it becomes a habit, the rewards will follow like sunshine following darkness of night. And when something becomes a habit with children they will start practicing at home and make sure their parents do it too along with them.

The choice is clear. Should we spend an incremental amount and effort in inculcating a good habit bound to reap rich dividends in the long run or continue to spend large amounts on medicines, injections etc? Not to speak of missing school every now and then for small ailments that affect our children. This is even more relevant in schools in our villages.

For children, like Megha and Rahul, in the picture ,Preventive measures act as a chain with strong links .These links grow into safety shield as they grow and become powerful allies.

MYsore Netizens Association –MYNA is keen to take this up at various levels, through other NGOs, Government, and Corporate Houses etc to make this into a reality.
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MYNA
Mysore Netizens Association

The little genius - Satwik

Young Satwik walked into our house with his mother Mallika from Kuvempu nagar, Mysore when he was 3 years old singing:

Dose, Dose,

Ajji Maadida Dose,

Garigariyada Dose

( Dosa, Dosa, The one Granny makes, crispy and Tasty)

He was all 3 years when he could sing this ditty .Soon he lost his speech and later he was losing touch with reality..He was becoming an autistic child. His teacher found him brilliant but due to his condition, the body could not keep pace with his amazing racing brain.Autism is really a brilliant mind caght in a hopeless body unable to keep pace with the brain.Some of you might have seen the brilliant portrayal of autism in 'Rainman' by Dustin Hoffman.

Satwik could not play with other children as he was in his own world.He cannot write himself as his hand does not get enough support from the muscles to hold the pencil .When supported he can scribble always the correct answer as his brain has grasped all there is to know.He does not talk. He learnt slowly but his teacher never could understand when he sees a page or listens to her!
He can swim like a fish, cycle as if he is doing Tour de France and skate beautifully.

Once he went to see KRS dam. There his father tried to explain details about the dam. Satwik, hardly saw anything and seemingly nothing fell on his ears. When he came home he typed all the answers such as height of dam,When it was built, the dam capacity in cusecs, who built it etc!He typed this on the keyboard of a computer when given support to his hand.Next day, we thought we will test him.We typed out ( a+b)2 = a2 +2ab+b2. Then we typed ( c+d)2 =

When support was given to his hand he typed out c2+2cd+d2 !He was 4 when he did this.

He did many sums like this.

He moved to Kurnool two years back as his father Srinivasa Rao was transferred.
Last year he was one of the disabled children from all over India to meet President Kalam.He must have dazzled the great man too.

Last month he was awarded the best disabled child in the country by the Minister for Social welfare MS. Meira Kumar in Delhi.

Once Satwik was asked why he doesn't speak? He typed out 'I will when the time comes'.

When asked what he wants to become when he grows up he typed 'Einstein'.