A year after he bid adieu to professional magic shows to dedicate himself fully to the cause of differently abled children, Gopinath Muthukad is realising his dream project – a universal empowerment centre that focusses on comprehensive development of the differently abled and through that provides them employment – at the KINFRA Film and Video Park, Kazhakuttam.
Coming up on five acres of land under the umbrella of Mr. Muthukad’s Magic Academy, the centre has autism therapy centre, horticulture therapy centre, different sports centre, research centre, performance venues, and many other facilities that the differently abled anywhere in the world can benefit from.
A self-employment centre for the mother of differently abled children too is coming up alongside the universal emplyment centre.
The disabled-friendly centre is novel because of the facilities it offers – education of the differently abled children, training in the area of sports and arts, and their mental, social, and health development.
It has a number of theatres of international standards where children can choose their own area of art, receive training, and perform in front of an audience. Venue such as Magic of Darkness, Magic of Silence, and Magic of Miracles have been arranged here so that the visually challenged, hearing impaired, and those with locomotor disability can exhibit their sleight of hand.
There is an arteria for displaying paintings, symphony for instrumental music, and a research centre, scientia, for students inclined towards research.
A theatre that can accommodate nearly 500 people is another highlight of the centre. Mega shows led by differently abled children will be staged here. All of these facilities have been equipped with the latest technology.
A psychotherapy/behaviour therapy centre, virtual therapy centre to bring about sensory improvement and power of imagination, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and audio therapy are some of the therapies available here. Experts that provide the therapies are available here full time. Horticultural therapy is also provided here.
A train ride that helps alleviate apprehensions experienced by children with autism is yet another highlight.
At the different sports centre, big playgrounds and turfs have been arranged to train in athletics and indoor sports. Gokulam Kerala acadmy head coach Joel Richard Williams supervises the training here.
The universal empowerment centre is the next stage of the different arts centre launched by Mr. Muthukad in 2019. The centres aim at benefiting maximum number of differently abled children. Besides changing society’s attitude towards the differently abled, they are intended to equip them in various fields through training, gain confidence and recognition, and understand that they too have an equal space in society. A university for the differently abled is the idea behind the centres, says Mr. Muthukad.
Article Credits: The Hindu
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