The
book for parents of children
with a handicap (Oct 04)
We got to know Cynthia
Hunt during our
first stay in
Lingshed 2003. She spent several months there together with a Canadian volunteer instructing
the teachers of the public school. She had motivated us to take
the second trip and guided and accompanied us through the mountains
in 2004. Cynthia is an American citizen and has been living in Ladakh
for 17 years. She carries her own heavy backpack stuffed with tent,
sleeping bag, cocking utensils and much more throughout the mountains
and never uses a donkey. She is employed by a non-profit organisation
in the US and the Indian government to work for the cause
of the educational progress of the locals, especially in the remote
areas. Like an Amazon she fights for the rights of the underprivileged
and walks through the mountain regions helping very selflessly wherever
she can.
Cynthia
And
she is talented. Beautifully illustrated books about all basic
subjects pertaining to health, nourishment, hygiene etc. have
been produced and distributed by her among the often illiterate
villagers. One may see Cynthia sitting in front of her tent at
sunset, drawing and colouring the pages, designing a new layout,
until all light fades. The first sunrays in the morning will find
her again, sitting cross legged, hovering over her books and painting.
Those easy-to-understand books are produced in two languages,
English and Ladakhi, and impress with
strong colours and great pictures.
Designing a
book for the parents of disabled children was Cynthias idea. During
our common trip she had us take digital photos of the therapy.
Together we worked on the instructions suitable to the photos.
This book is to help educate the parents, give them some general
ideas of help for their child and how to work with it, for example
as fas as feeding, proper sitting, treatment of spastic limbs
etc. is concerned. It is also meant to encourage them to stop
hiding, so seek help and to get aids for their child. Another
goal is to integrate the handicapped children into the village
community and school system with the information contained in
the book.
Cynthia with the women in Kurambik
