Pingalwara Project
Pingalwara Society HYPERLINK "http://www.pingalwaraonline.org" www.pingalwaraonline.org is the home of the underprivileged and mentally challenged. The founder Bhagat Puran Singh Ji was of the firm opinion that the combined efforts of the society were capable of achieving the impossible. This was truly evident with the care and provisions provided by the organisation as a whole. There are residents from all walks of life, with heart wrenching stories, who are trying to live a good life. On an average 7-8 patients join Pingalwara each month. Any destitute person found on the roadside is immediately picked up by the Pingalwara staff, many are also received from Sri Darbar Sahib (the golden temple) where they are at times abandoned. There are many faces of Pingalwara and without it residents, patients, children would be homeless, struggling and begging on the streets.
Despite its vital work rescuing children, the Special Needs area of Pingalwara is very weak, so much so the children are not correctly diagnosed let alone supported. This is due to the lack of knowledge and special educators within the city of Amritsar. We carried out a pilot project where the initial plan was to help improve the services and facilities for such children and set up a communication base with tools such as sign language, pictures, symbols and other means of communicating. After assessing the environment and current processes it was clear that basic foundations of communication were missing, after much discussion it was decided that stimulation of senses was the first phase of communication and introducing the sensory and softplay rooms that will allow the discovery of development. Much research was needed as this was the first facility of its kind in Punjab which proved to be difficult but with God’s Grace guidance and blessings were bestowed upon us which had amazing results and miracles.
Multi-sensory rooms are used by people of all ages and all abilities for relaxation, focused work, stimulation, control, massage, aromatherapy, reminiscence work, physiotherapy, communication and stress release. multi sensory rooms encourage:
Exploration, Movement, Socialisation and Learning
Multi sensory rooms also assist in decreasing: Aggression, Self stimulation behaviours and Self abusive behaviours
