As 24-year-old Mani bends to turn a page while teaching the children at the Children’s Smart Centre (CSC) of Childlife Preserve Shishur Sevay in the Behala area of Kolkata, memories of her own upbringing at the NGO’s orphanage flash by her. Mani is among five other women working at the NGO who were also brought up at Shishur Sevay and are now working voluntarily to pay back.
Childlife Preserve Shishur Sevay NGO, founded by Dr. Michelle Harrison in Behala, Kolkata, has been running a free community preschool since 2022 for underprivileged and specially abled children. They provide high-quality Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) to disadvantaged children, including those with disabilities like visual impairment, speech issues, and autism.
So far, the CSC has served around 40 children aged 2-5 and has 28 students enrolled in the present batch. It employs modern teaching methodologies and technologies to deliver comprehensive education to these kids focused on cognitive, social, emotional, and motor skills development.
CSC currently has 12 teaching staff, including the resident girls and key teachers—Anindita Dutta, Head Teacher; Lopamudra Mukherjee, Special Educator; and Sharmitha Banerjee, Director of Mental Health. Residents girls Mani, Shefali, Khusbu, and Puja work as junior teachers here, following their heart’s desire to give back to the community. These girls were brought up at the NGO’s orphanage.
Dr. Michelle Harrison, the Founder of Shishur Sevay, says that the resident girls always wanted to give back to the community through inclusive education, where they and their special-abled colleagues like Ganga and Bornali (specially-abled inmates of the orphanage) can equally participate. That’s how CSC was formed. The expert teachers have trained the girls, who now work as assistant teachers at CSC.
Through inclusivity, preschool education is ensured for both abled and specially abled children. Aligned with India’s National Education Policy, CSC soon plans to introduce sensory teaching methods, integrating visuals, music, and dance therapies to enhance learning experiences.
Sharmistha Banerjee, Director of Mental Health at CSC, states that it stands out as a different preschool where special counselling for mental health is given to students and their parents.
Shishur Sevay utilises technology like Tobii Dynavox, which uses assistive devices to help students with disabilities. They have various tools that help kids learn, read, and write. A tool like Boardmaker uses pictures and symbols to help students learn. Boardmaker has over 83,000 pictures and symbols to choose from. Their eye-tracking technology, paired with iPads and Windows computers, is helping special students to communicate through eye movement or touch. In 2014, Shishur Sevay was the first in India to buy and utilise a Tobii eye Tracker and eye-tracking software to help the specially-abled girls, Ganga and Bornali, to interact with others.
The specially abled residents of the orphanage—Ganga and Bornali—actively use this Tobii technology device to participate in weekly storytelling sessions. The two girls are specially abled but can narrate a story using the latest technology of eyeball tracking. This storytelling session is especially enlivening for students with special needs.
Titli Maitra, Director of Development and Education at Shishur Sevay, says the school plans to expand its wings and allow more students to join it. Several tools like special keyboards, head pointers, and Braille slates are incorporated into the education to make it comprehensive.
Lopamudra Mukherjee, a Special Educator at CSC, highlights the significance of creating a welcoming environment where all children feel comfortable. She asserts that special students receive undivided attention with tailored therapy programs. Parents are also actively involved in better understanding their children’s needs and learning appropriate ways to support them at home.
Anindita Dutta, Head Teacher at CSC, says interactions between abled children and children with special needs are especially heartwarming. The abled children support their peers in pronouncing words or assisting with daily tasks like drinking water and eating properly. Inclusive activities such as storytelling, drawing, and dance allow every child to participate according to their abilities.
Mani, a resident of Shishur Sevay and an Assistant Teacher at CSC, fulfilled her dream of teaching and loves giving back to the community. She explains that just like one supports siblings at home, children here are encouraged to do the same.
Soni Gupta, the mother of 4-year-old speech-impaired student Riyansh, shares that last year, Riyansh started attending the school and has undergone remarkable change. Earlier, he couldn’t utter a word; now, he can form broken sentences. Speech therapy has played a significant role in his progress. The nurturing environment at CSC helped Riyansh make friends. He has also become noticeably more cheerful and sociable.
Titli Maitra, Director of Development and Education at Shishur Sevay, celebrates the school’s greatest strength: inclusivity. She explains, “Specially abled residents Ganga and Bornali have been fully integrated to take part at CSC. Using Tobii technology, Ganga actively participates in Friday story time classes, while Bornali enjoys the session . We cherish this inclusive experience and we’re dedicated to nurturing it to the fullest.”
The history of Shishur Sevay
Dr. Harrison moved to Kolkata and established Childlife Preserve Shishur Sevay in 2006 to support orphan and disabled children and the creation of inclusive family-style group homes. A doctor with more than three decades of experience, she has authored books and academic papers and has received many accolades. Currently, Dr. Harrison serves Shishur Sevay on a volunteer basis. She prioritises children’s well-being and focuses on developing Shishur Sevay’s infrastructure to support them. She lives with the children at Shishur Sevay.
The inclusive and non-institutional care houses 14 orphan girls, including those with profound disabilities. It also covers all expenses for kids’ upbringing, education, and healthcare. Shishur Sevay aims to foster an inclusive environment by maximising all children’s physical, emotional, and vocational potential, including those with lifelong disabilities.
Copy editor: Megha Mann