New Center Serves Children and Youth with Special Needs
In the west Serbian town of Valjevo live Marija (21) and Darko (18), a sister and brother both with special needs. Marija was institutionalized in Belgrade until she was 18. For the past three years they have lived with their parents and grandmother in a two-room apartment in Valjevo, a period during which Darko's condition worsened and Marija's skills stagnated.
Local NGOs and municipal services estimate over 1,300 children with special needs among the 60,000 residents of Valjevo. Most of these children come from poor families and spend much of their life in isolation. Only 15% attend school on a regular basis, with few completing elementary
education.
In an effort to improve the education and care of these children, a team of local medical experts worked with USAID's Community Revitalization through Democratic Action (CRDA) program to establish a day care center for children with special needs. The local government contributed to establishment of the center by renovating its classroom facility, leased free of charge, while USAID, through its implementing partner International Relief and Development (IRD), provided computer and multimedia equipment and furniture, as well as educational material and learning tools.
Today, the center provides space for over 90 children like Marija and Darko to participate in daily activities that offer important opportunities for socializing and mobility, including workshops in movement, dance, music, art, weaving, sewing, and knitting, as well as tutoring in mathematics, Serbian language, and computer courses. In addition to the chance for children to continue their education in fields that can help with their further integration into the community, the center offers parents free consultations as well as professional counseling.
According to Suzana Momcilovic, coordinator of the day care center, these children face challenges regarding appropriate social behavior and integration into society. The project teaches the children techniques and behaviors that improve their ability to learn and give them the tools to face the indifference they often encounter from others. At the same time, the program is increasing the skills and confidence of parents, improving their ability to care for their children and help them learn. Both parents and children speak more openly about their problems at home and in public, where they have become advocates in raising awareness about the needs of such children and the programs available to assist them. With increased media coverage, more of the area's special-needs children and their parents are expressing interest in participating in the program.
Since they started attending the day care center, Marija has begun talking again and Darko has regained his position as best student in his class. He particularly excels in geography, enjoys weaving classes, and shows his strongest skills in trivia quizzes.
When asked about the center, Darko exclaims, "I like it here a lot because we are not alone at home anymore!"
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| “We are not alone at home anymore.” Marija and Darko at the Center |
Students with special needs attend class at Valjevo's day care Center |
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