In a space of around 30 square meters, children with disabilities are finding happiness and support: Hendikos association in Ferizaj has opened an unusual library where these children can play and borrow educational toys and all sorts of books.
The manager of this association for 16 years now, Xhemile Murseli, says that this is the first time that Kosovo has a space of this kind, with different toys that impact the development of the abilities and the imagination of the children.
Toys library was opened last November and everyone under 18 has an access to it. Toys are selected for each category of children, following consultations with the library assistant Besmire Bajrami.
Children can use the space each working day, for as long as they consider necessary: they are provided physiotherapy trainings, additional learning, whereas parents are provided advices on how to work with their children.
Hendikos, founded in 1997, is one of the first organizations to offer services for people with disabilities, with a special focus on children.
The municipality also provides support for this category, helping them in different aspects.
“The institutional care towards this category will never be lacking”, Mayor of Ferizaj, Muharrem Svarça, says. But major supporters, who are the main pillars of the association, are the donors, respectively foreign organizations.
Alongside financial support, Save The Children, which co-partners with Hendikos, also provides various trainings for employees.
“Employees are adequately trained and prepared and licensed for social services. They attend different trainings financed through projects throughout the year, having the developed countries as a model. So, we`re continually investing in capacity building’, manager of Hendikos adds.
Parents are satisfied with the support their children are provided in this space, where except play they also receive additional learning and physiotherapy trainings.
Together they have created three self-supporting groups, divided according to their children`s abilities. During their meetings they discuss how to confront challenges, offer support and advice to each-other and launch activities towards the improvement of conditions provided by the Municipality.
“We will make sure we do everything possible so that this category, too feels equal with everyone in the city”, Mayor Svarça said.
The education level of the children with disabilities in Ferizaj municipality is satisfactory. Only 47 out of 132 are not involved in the education process. The non-inclusion is due to teachers not being equipped with skills on how to work with these children, as well as due to social and economic conditions, transport etc.
Problems with transport make planning and developing activities outside of the center difficult to Hendikos members. They own an vehicle, donated by the Municipality in 2005, which according to association`s members, most of the time is broken. This causes difficulties in completing the activities planned aimed at integrating children with disabilities into society.
Xhenete Hasani
