| Amai Park , is one of the most fulfilling projects of Funkor Childart Center . |
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It displays children's paintings. Children with low vision painted the flowers while those who are totally blind painted with the aid of stencils. We used very bright colours with the spirit that, 'so what !! if they cant see we want to give them the brightest colours'. 15 year old Komal said something so beautiful that, ' I painted colourful flowers because this is how I want my world to be'.
We call it park because when children with visual impairments go to public parks they are at risk of being pushed from slides or swings. The children call this play area their park.
This park is designed by Fauzia Minallah while a young architect Faiza Moatasim who is also a lecturer at the NCA Pindi helped in designing it and made special Braille tiles which we have used in the designing. Fauzia painted the playstation and all the other swings and slides herself helped by Katrin Becker a young student from Germany .
Trees are very important here and children are encouraged to touch and feel the leaves of different fruit trees. When 6 year old Asma touched the leaves of banana trees she said 'oh these are giant leaves'.
Fauzia designed a sitting area around the biggest tree where the children can sit under its cool shade in the scorching heat of summer. To ensure extra safety all the slides have higher railings. There are bells of different sizes and even jingly decorations from truck art give different sounds which make their experience great fun.
We have not used any expensive grass so as not to waste water, children are encouraged to respect nature. In autumn all the leaves from the big sheesham tree are collected and children have great fun walking and jumping on dried leaves.
Although there is a big park already developed for special people in the F 9 park, by the Ministry of Special Education and the Capital Development Authority, but there the play area is for normal kids. Amai Park 's play area is the first of its kind in Pakistan , where every effort is made to make it a fun place for the visually challenged children.
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| Faiza Moatassim taking the measurements for the herb corner |
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| Sitting area around the tree |
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| SAADIA CHECKING THE WIDTH OF THE PATH |
PAINTING THE BOWL for the fountain |
PAINTING THE BOWL for the fountain |
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| Komal the Artist |
Shahzaib, the little Artist |
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| Painting the MURAL WALL |
Painting the MURAL WALL |
Painting the MURAL WALL |
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SALMAN PAINTING |
Katrin applying layer of Laquer to the project or Mural |
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Enjoying jumping on crunchy leaves |
The play station |
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| Ringing the bells |
Tactile drawing in around the singing tree |
Raza enjoying the slide |
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| Asma helping Zubair to ring the bell |
Asma and Ahmad on the see saw |
Ahmad touching the bananas |
Press:
First ever park for disabled children to be opened today![]() ![]() |
Saturday, November 01, 2008
Saadia Khalid
Islamabad
The first-ever park for disabled children, especially visually impaired, will be inaugurated today (Saturday) in connection with White Cane Safety Day.
Situated in Sector G-7 of the capital, the facility — 'Amai Park' — would prove to be a milestone in facilitating handicapped children by making special arrangements for them.
Al Maktoom Centre for the visually handicapped will organise the inauguration of Amai Park — a special playing area for visually impaired children. The park is dedicated to Dr. Salma Maqbool and Begum Fatima Dil Mohammad.
The playground has been developed keeping under consideration disabilities of children. It has been designed in such a way that it appeals to the senses of smell, touch & sound.
Comprising a fountain, a sandpit, wind chimes, herbs and fragrant plants, the facility has all those features that will give an experience based on senses of sound, touch and smell.
To enhance mobility of these children and provide them an opportunity to experience the joys of playing on swings and slides like any other child, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has donated a 'Play Station'.
Amai is a cartoon character developed by artist and author Fauzia Minallah for children. It is a bird made of light, which is a friend of children and takes them on exciting adventures and spreads the message of love, peace and tolerance.
The park has been designed by artist Fauzia Minallah and architect Faiza Moatasim, and developed under the guidance of Dr, Robina Anjum, director of the Al Maktoom Centre.
Talking to 'The News,' Fauzia Minallah said that Amai means 'mother' in some parts of Balochistan. "Amai loves children like a mother and we tried to make this park as comfortable and cozy as a lap of mother," she said.
She said that the idea for making a park for visually impaired children sound very odd to her but later on she found it interesting to work with the project. "We tried to make every possible measure to include everything in the park that satisfies their (disabled children) senses," she said.
She said that although park has been developed with a limited budget, yet maximum has been done for the fun and pleasure of disabled children. "Funkor Child Art Centre generated funds for the design and construction of the park," she said.
She also mentioned the names of Dr Anwar Dil, Bilquis Nasrum-Minallah, Syed Ahsanullah Qureshi, Humaira Masihuddin and Sohail Altaf President Parent Teacher Association, without whom the construction of park would have not been possible.
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First-ever park fascinates visually impaired children![]() ![]() |
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Saadia Khalid
Islamabad
The first-ever park for visually impaired children was inaugurated here Saturday at Almaktoom Center having every possible measure for their safety and security.
The air was filled with joy, laughter, songs and clapping, as it fascinated visually impaired children. Although occupying a small area, the park comprises everything to entertain the special children.
Children on the occasion enthusiastically celebrated the inauguration of the park while singing national songs, staging short skits and participating in different games.
Talking on the occasion, Special Education Directorate Director General Khalid Naeem said that construction of a special park for visually impaired children was undoubtedly a great work that should be appreciated. "Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and civil society should help the government in launching such projects for the facilitation of special children," he said.
Khalid said that according to United Nations, almost 10 million population of Pakistan comprises persons with different disabilities while according to Pakistan census 1998, there were only 4 million. "Out of such massive population only 700,000 are school going and only 30,000 are getting proper education," he said.
He said that special persons were an important segment of the society that should not be neglected. "They could perform much better than ordinary people in many fields of life if they are provided with proper opportunities," he said.
Khalid said that the competency of special children could be witnessed in different sports where they were bringing laurels to the country. "In Beijing Olympics no one was able to bring a single medal except one silver medal in Para Olympics by a special person," he said.
He said that present government was committed to facilitate special persons and team for National Plan of Action (NPA) has already been constituted to work on national policy for persons with disability.
Pakistan Foundation Fighting Blindness (PFFB) Chief Executive Saima Ammar said that it was the most memorable and unique white cane day in the history of Pakistan. "People with disabilities have equal right to enjoy the privileges of life as other people do," she said.
She said that the initiative of making a special park would change the definition of disabilities in future. "It would prove that disabled people are no less than normal people in every field of life if they are provided with equal opportunities as that of normal people," she said.
Saima said that PFFB was striving hard in bringing visually impaired children into mainstream. "We are having medical research centre, rehabilitation training centre, daily life skills, income generating skills and computer trainings," she said.
She said that the aim of her foundation was to enable special children for performing their routine chores without any hindrance and difficulty. "We want special persons to be able to earn their money respectfully by learning income generating skills," she said.
Capital Development Authority (CDA) Director Parks Malik Abid said that CDA was trying its level best to turn every recreational facility accessible for disabled persons. "We are now working to modify kid's devices in public parks in order to facilitate special children."
Al Maktoom National Special Education Centre President Sohail Altaf said that the institution was established in 1982 under the Directorate General of Special Education. "The centre is providing educational facilities to visually impaired children from nursery to high school," he said.
He said it also provides numerous services such as assessment and diagnosis of vision, pre-vocational training, training in Braille, mobility, music, library, integration and rehabilitation services and many more.
He announced that two students of the institution, Anis Javed and Zeeshan Gul, have been selected in national cricket team of disabled, which was undoubtedly a matter of pride for them.
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