After welcoming Naveen, our local OT, in our team on 1st December, we had the surprise to learn from him that he needed several weeks off in February and April, and even more, when everybody came back from Christmas holidays, no Naveen! If having a local OT in our team might seem as an illusion, the number of kids in need of occupational therapy is bitterly real...
Incredible India!
We are lucky that foreign OT volunteers are considering this project as an interesting challenge and are keen to help us in developping rehabilitation programmes for disabled children in Kullu.
I am most grateful to Siobhan O'Connor to have accepted joining our team: she did arrive in Kullu on 1st February, in the bitter cold of very early morning hours, after a long travel from Australia (it's summer over there...), one night in Delhi and a second night in the bus. I hope (well, I am sure!) she will have the experience of her lifetime in Kullu and we all appreciate her presence and dedication to our project.
I will be in Kullu and Manali from 18 to 30 March, to meet everybody including our new adapted-sports teacher from France, Christelle, who will arrive in Kullu at the very beginning of March.
For the time being, winter is still paralysing Kullu valley and recent activity and attendance reports received from the Handimachal team do reflect how much local life is dependant on climate conditions and poor infrastructure...
I will be back soon with pictures and more comments from Siobhan.
Dominique
13 February 2012
