Deepalaya - Enabling Self-Reliance

Let me win!
But if I can not win,
Let me be brave
In the attempt. (Special Olympic Athlete Oath)

In the month of Jan’06, Deepalaya organized Special Sports Day at various locations of West Delhi. Deepalaya has been working with the challenged children in these locations for the past three years. With the support of the British High Commission the program aims to develop positive attitudes among parents and communities to consider their children not as “disabled” but more as “differently abled”. The locations are Peeragarhi, Delhi Cantonment, Mayapuri and Dwarka sector 15 and 16.

The games were designed to provide opportunities for the special children to demonstrate courage, experience joy and share their gifts, skills and friendship with the world. Around a hundred special children (including mentally challenged, Hearing Impaired, Visually Impaired and Physically challenged) participated. Parents, sibling and the entire community joined in large numbers to cheer them. The venue was the local parks. Here people from the neighboring communities also came to watch the games. It was an eye opening experience for them, which changed their perception towards the physically and mentally challenged.

The Children enjoyed competing in the events like-100 meter Biscuit race, Softball throw, Back race, relay race, three legged race and special event like tricycle race.

It was a thrilling experience for the children and they enthusiastically shared their happiness with everybody. Sadre Alam a hearing impaired child who was afraid of being in public or crowded place is a transformed child after the intervention of the project. He also took part in the Sports Day and won first position in the Softball throw event. Sabreena with her polio-affected legs participated in the competition and says, “ I enjoyed the event of Soft ball throwing”. Munazir a boy with Speech disorder thoroughly enjoyed the hundred meter race and very happy to receive the prize.”

Our girls Rinku and Savita (both girls are having difficulty in walking due to PPRP) of Dwarka sector 16 were initially hesitant of running in front of the crowd but after seeing everyone enjoying they overcome the hesitation and gathered courage to participate in the Hundred-meter Race. Pappu of Mayapuri (whose polio affected limbs made mobility impossible) also participated in the Sports day and took part in the tricycle Race.

Pappu in action


Catch the ball if you can Running with confidence
The tricycle race