Our Forum of Special Moms met for the fourth time on August 5, 2023. The Forum was held at Asha Nivas, 9 Rutland Gate, Thousand Lights, Chennai. As on date, 95 families of children with special needs have become an integral part of the Sri Arunodayam family.

The forum commenced at 10.30 am, broke for lunch, and then continued on till 4.00 pm. In-depth sessions of particular interest to these families were organized and we were happy to see their wholehearted participation!

Agenda

• Invocation song – by Jothikalai (daughter of Kalaiselvi, Special Mom Awardee 2020).
• Lighting of the lamp – by 4 Special Moms and Jayachithra, Sri Arunodayam’s Head of Administration.
• Welcome address – by our Founder Managing Trustee, Iyyappan Subramanian.
• Introducing our Special Moms for 2022|23 – by Gayathri, Sri Arunodayam’s Program Manager
  • Session 1 – Icebreaking group activities conducted by teachers and students from Good Shepherd School, Nungambakkam.
  • Session 2 – Yoga and meditation conducted by the Head of Department, Andal (a yoga therapist for over 20 years), and Kokilavani from Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram.
  • Session 3 – Legal counsel concerning wills and probates for families with special children, conducted by Advocate R Prabhakaran from the Supreme Court. He works for the legal rights of people with disabilities.
  • Session 4 – Stress management and mental health awareness conducted by Psychologist Ramya Raju. With a Master’s degree in child development and family relationships, Ramya has been working with marginalized communities for over 20 years.
• Cultural programs and games for children conducted in parallel by Sri Arunodayam’s therapists and the students of Good Shepherd School, Nungambakkam.
• Vote of thanks, and general instructions on the upcoming Award Ceremony 2022|2023 by Sri Arunodayam’s Founder Managing Trustee.

While parents attended the sessions, the children enjoyed fun activities that were organized in parallel. The forum strived to make these families comfortable enough to let their guard down and be real. It’s with this sense of acceptance and trust that the healing work began! Although many such families are ignored or slighted by their communities, the forum gives them an inclusive environment where they can network, learn, share, and be heard. They are encouraged to speak their truth and the sessions are tailored to help them live better and become effective advocates for change. It is said, “Girls compete with each other but women empower each other.” The forum does just that! It empowers the mothers to work together to succeed together.