Jai Vakeel: A School, A home, A family
17th August, 2018- I embarked on an arduous journey to Jai Vakeel far away from the “comforts” of school. I came as a sceptical 16-year old, disgruntled and tired after a long day of completing my I.B. work. Little did I know that my experiences at Jai Vakeel would transform my perspective into viewing my volunteer work as not solely a requirement of the academically rigorous programme I am in, but as a simple yet rewarding passion.
“Every child has the right to an education: an intellectual disability should not oust that right at all- Mrs. Tehmi Shroff.” Jai Vakeel is an indiscriminate school where children with multifaceted intellectual disabilities ranging from borderline disabilities to profound disabilities can feel at home and contribute to society in a positive manner. Although the school may have been revamped and renovated, the core message and mission statement of the school still remain the same: to eliminate the negative social stigmas existing in today's society about people with intellectual disabilities.
On the first day, our group played football and did arts and crafts with the children. What really moved me was how involved and invested the faculty at Jai Vakeel was in impacting the lives of children with intellectual disabilities. From helping children use the toilets on their own, making them play mind riddles on interactive computer software, engaging them and nurturing their interests in arts and crafts to even establishing bank accounts and providing financial aid to children and their parents. It was truly incredible and eye-opening to witness how hard they worked to improve the standard of living of their children so that they can grow into confident and equipped individuals in society
Four months later, we had our annual CAS fete at DAIS. Our friends from Jai Vakeel sang songs, danced, performed, acted and played with us. We also managed to raise over 1,000 rupees thanks to our stalls, where we sold Jai Vakeel Merchandise such as aromatic lemongrass incense, colourful and striking motif notebooks and gorgeous handmade diyas and key-chains.
Amongst all the joy that the CAS fete brought me I will still never forget my first day at Jai Vakeel because it made me realise how fortunate I am and taught me not to take my opportunities and life for granted. Now, half-way through the IB, I enjoy volunteering with the staff at Jai Vakeel. Not only have they taught me to be more compassionate but have also changed my outlook on the world. I now realise what Jai-Vakeel is- a school, a home and a family.
- Harsh Aryan Das