overburdened. As a result, some of such children
are shut off in a room for life or totally neglected
and bullied.
Proper handling and treatment can make them
live their lives in a self sufficient manner. If they
are allowed to live in touch with the outer world,
and siblings are trained to see the retarded child
as their own brother or sister they have a great
chance of leading a normal life. With a little more
training in personal care and integration into social
life, they can live as other children in the house.
Learning artistic skills of self-expression like music,
dance and job-training can greatly boost their
morale and enable them to lead a near normal
life. This is what happens at Deepti Nivas. We train
these children to be self-dependent in personal
are also wanted and accepted. This has a positive
impact on their health condition and they work
enthusiastically for a better tomorrow. They pluck
up courage to face the world around, interact
with other people and respond to different life
situations.
Disabled children come to Deepti Nivas every
morning from their homes joyfully and go back to
their homes in the evening with lot of satisfaction
and feeling of dignity. Very often the parents tell
us that “It is unbelievable Father, my son/daughter
has become very industrious, he/she has learned
some of the important social living skills and is
now contributing to the financial stability of the
family. My child whom we thought to be a liability
to the family, has turned to be a hero”.
care as well as to learn to live in a community or
family, picking up social skills. And we also train
them to do work and earn a living.
Asha Sadan, our Special School for the Disabled,
trains the mentally retarded children from the
age of 4 - 16 years. Then they are promoted
to Deepti Nivas for vocational training and
employment. At present 42 disabled people
undergo training here and simultaneously work
for their economic independence. We give them
stipend or remuneration every month to make
them aware that they are capable of working
and earning their livelihood. This creates in them
self-satisfaction and confidence; they feel that they
26
SANTHOME MISSION
Deepti Nivas accepts people from all spheres of
life, from all castes, religions, groups and language.
They can come to see, work and experience the
pulse of Deepti Nivas. They work together, eat
together, pray together and live together. They
all feel the love of Christ here and feel at home.
Many school going children and a good number
of trainees also visit Deepti Nivas and assist in its
activities. Together with MST Priests, the Snehagiri
Missionary Sisters (SMS) of St Joseph Province,
Malabar render their tireless and dedicated
service to make Deepti Nivas a House of Light for
the special persons of Mandya district and the
surrounding places.