MAITHREE - "OF THE PARENTS, BY THE PARENTS AND FOR THE PARENTS"
MAITHREE, an association of parents of exceptional children is an institution committed to the welfare of persons with mental retardation. The objective of MAITHREE is to provide an array of services encompassing the entire life span of the special child / person.
What is unique about MAITHREE is that, it is an organisation “OF THE PARENTS, BY THE PARENTS AND FOR THE PARENTS,” and MAITHREE’s dream is to become a movement that would ensure acceptance of the special persons in the society thereby bringing dignity to their lives.
MAITHREE was formally registered in the year 1994 and more than 500 parents are part of it. MAITHREE has been involved in providing various services to special children for the past 15 years.
From a humble beginning of providing special education to three children from the drawing room of a parent, MAITHREE has grown to provide special education to around 350 Children through its seven Day-care Centres situated in Perambur, West Tambaram, West Mambalam, Kolathur, K.K. Nagar , Ullagaram & East Tambaram.
A 75 member professionally qualified team comprising of Special Educators, Occupational Therapists and Physio Therapists provide special education to these children. Apart from this, Specialists are also invited for guest lectures during the monthly parent-teacher meetings.
As a sequel to the education, everyone would aspire for a vocation. The special children are no exception to this. MAITHREE has taken up the responsibility of providing Vocational training according to the ability of each special child so that these special children are able to find a meaningful and gainful occupation during their adulthood.
A humble beginning is now being made by starting four Vocational Training Centres, at Perambur, Tambaram, T Nagar and Ullagaram for the benefit of children in and around that area. The Vocational Training Centres aims at maximizing the potential of each special child for an identified vocation.
A need was felt to create a facility for the persons with profound mental retardation after their school training programe to maintain their abilities; hence a Care and Management Centre has been started at Kodambakkam to cater to the needs of five such persons
A home away from home is being organized by Maithree to cater to 8-10 adult men with special needs at Vembakkam, a village near Kanchipuram. At this group home situated 90kms from Chennai, apart from residential care Maithree provides various opportunities such as farming .weaving, gardening for gainful occupation and recreation oriented facilities to provide meaningful occupation and physical exercise.
MAITHREE is a non-profitable & charitable organization. Maithree depends on the parents, like-minded well wishers, philanthropists and the society at large for all its activities.
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