: Using Rs 80000 of Her Savings, Woman Brings Education to Disabled Tamil Nadu Kids #IndiaNEWS #Disability Suganya Kandasamy, from Triplicane in Tamil Nadu, was only a child when her father discouraged

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Using Rs 80000 of Her Savings, Woman Brings Education to Disabled Tamil Nadu Kids #IndiaNEWS #Disability
Suganya Kandasamy, from Triplicane in Tamil Nadu, was only a child when her father discouraged her from pursuing higher education.
“My father was a fisherman and had no financial means to fund my education. He also believed that women should not be highly educated. His words are still etched in my mind,� the 36-year-old tells The Better India.
Suganya says that it was then that she decided to study to the best of her abilities and become independent. “The hardships I experienced in my growing up years always made me feel terrible about the plight of children from financially weak families. Like me, they were also unable to get access to education,� she says.
Today, she has multiple qualifications, including graduating in Special Education and getting her Masters degree in Science, Psychology, Audiology and Speech Pathology. She has also specialised in intellectual ability, speech therapy and counselling.
“My desire to help the needy pushed me to struggle and reach the required qualification,� she says.
Teaching The Disabled For Free
 
Suganya started working with an NGO in 2010 which disabled children visited for treatment. “During my first lesson itself, I realised that I wanted to continue this for the rest of my life,� she says.
“The children from underprivileged backgrounds do not have the access and means to develop their cognitive skills. The parents are unaware of providing facilities to their children. As a result, the children suffer the most as their needs remain unaddressed,� she explains.
Suganya says that the social stigma and misconceptions about medical conditions further hinder the children’s growth in the early years. Moreover, accessing education for a child with special needs is expensive, and the underprivileged cannot afford the same, she adds.
She says that she gained the required academic skills and learned sign language during her stint at the NGO. It made her confident to start her own centre in 2014 called ‘Challenge Rehab Centre’.
“My father passed away in 2014, after which I quit my job and decided to dive into the cause. My mother was extremely against it and did not offer any support. So, I used Rs 80,000 of my savings kept aside for my wedding to start the centre,� Suganya adds.
She has been helping about 40 children with special needs through therapy classes and special education. Suganya also conducts counselling for parents and school teachers for free.
Suganya receives students mainly having Autism, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, Down Syndrome, hearing impairment and low vision.
“I charge Rs 200 per session unlike the fees demanded by experts in the field that range between Rs 1,000 and 1,200.

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