Little Hearts School was started in 2009 in a garage
Reshmy Nikith and Gauri are mothers of children with special needs. After mainstream playschools in Mumbai refused to admit Reshmy's son Neel, who was diagnosed with meningitis, the two mothers started a school for differently-abled children in 2009.
Neel was two-and-a-half months old when he contracted meningitis. Reshmy remembers running from pillar to post for her son's admission, only to face exclusion. Four schools in Mumbai's suburb Chembur refused to admit Neel.
"That is when I decided to start a school for differently-abled children. I know many parents who have gone through the same struggle. I spoke to my father-in-law and he helped by providing me with a garage to set up the centre," says Reshmy.
Little Hearts in Chembur has now grown from a garage with three students to a learning centre with 20 students and eight teachers.
Gauri too has a 20-year-old autistic child, Ramnath. A special needs teacher herself, Gauri decided to help Reshmi set up the centre. The two, started the school in June 2009 but this summer has been most special for them.
"We have undergone an expansion. We have got dance and music therapists, sports teachers, speech therapists and are also teaching students through iPads and LCDs," Gauri told NDTV.
The low-profile school battled space and funding issues with the help of well-wishers and has also managed to integrate nine children into mainstream schools.
"We have tied up with Aditya Vidya Mandir school in Chembur. The journey hasn't been easy but good samaritans have proved to be a blessing", Gauri added.
Mrs Alamelu, music guru and mother of singer Hariharan, who was also present at the learning centre said, inclusion was of utmost importance.
"Gauri's son is a student of music. He has tremendous grasping power. Every child is good at something. We must give them a chance to explore," she said.
Vidya Thakur, one of the oldest parents to enroll a child at the centre, said, "I am very happy, so is my son. He spends more time here than with me and is extremely attached to the teachers."