Podcast: A girl who loves to speak
- Rythm Sachdeva
- Jan 24, 2017
- 1 min read
Thiruvallur: Bala Sudha Balaraman or Bala as everyone calls her in her village. Native of the Sheduled Caste Ambedkar Colony of Narsamangalam under Kottaiyoor Panchayat, Bala is a special child born with apraxia. Apraxia is a motor speech disorder caused by damage to the parts of the brain related to speaking.
Born in one of the poor households of the Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu, Bala has been largely neglected by the state. No government scheme except ‘Maintenance Allowance to Mentally Retarded Persons’ which provides her with Rs.1000/ month through her bank account. This neglect of benefits violates her rights as a special child.
In their limited income earned under the Central government’s scheme ‘Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act’, Bala’s parents could not afford her treatment in any private hospital.
Despite her childhood deformity, Bala is a happy child who talks to everyone in her village. She goes around barefoot in her multicolor maxi, fiddling on foot, skipping between her house and that of her grandmother. Friendly and decisive in her approach she makes sure that her visitor does not leave without a glass of water.
Only with a little government intervention like of providing a special teacher to help Bala learn at school can make a vast difference.
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