Expectation for Orion-Disabled Children Need Attention

Tsereteli Street #2, in Zestafoni-it is a present address of the day-center for disabled children. You will never imagine what these children can do in these two rooms; it is almost incredible. As soon as you enter the room, the disability of those little people disappears and they consider themselves plenipotentiary members of the society. They are not treated here like disabled people.

Today, children feel themselves more amused than ever before. The reason is a theatrical performance staged by the theatre of disabled adults within the “Orion” union. Tutors are worrying more than children who are making final sketches of the performance.

Nine-year-old Ana Tsakadze, who has cerebral palsy, is “the Queen of Autumn” today. She is worrying but manages to cover her nervousness like real actress.

“It is not first performance for Ana. The union gives at least one performance every month and makes the lives of these children a bit more beautiful. Since we discovered the “Orion” Union our struggle against this terrible disease has become easier,” said Tamuna Lominashvili, Ana’s mother. “Have you come to see our performance? These clothes suit us very much, don’t they?” asked little Giorgi, who is sitting in an invalid carriage. He has to dance waltz with the daughter of Zhana the Tutor.

Ms. Zhana is one of the founders of the “Orion”. Her daughter is healthy but now because of her mother’s activities she has to spend most of her time in the center. She spends a lot of time with her disabled pals and treats them like healthy ones.

“In 2004 several teachers of the Zestafoni Public School # 5 established the “Orion”. During three years of our existence we managed to give out 140 invalid carriages on behalf of the organization “Couten Party”; besides that our day-center assists 15 children a day. Our theatre is already very famous in the district,” said Zhana Feradze.

“Sometimes I feel so miserable and disappointed that I do not want to go on with our activities; but when I remember the parents of the children and the children themselves I cannot stop. If I lock the door what should I tell them when they come; should I tell them that I have not received salaries and that’s why I closed the center?!” said Ina Zarnadze, Executive Secretary of the “Orioni” Union.

Expensive equipments for massage were purchased within the project frameworks the “Orion” implemented. There are only few of similar equipments in the capital but there is none of them in other regions throughout the country. Consequently, the personnel of the “Orion” consider it is a great success for them to have similar apparatus. They take care of them and provide free medical assistance to their beneficiaries. “After a long-term petitioning, the local branch of the National Movement gave us three small rooms to place our expensive equipments in their office,” said Zhana Feradze.

Besides that in a larger room they have made a stage with all its facilities. The audience has already gathered in the room; most of them are parents of the disabled children. These people, having been granted with disabled child by the God, give various estimations to their situation. Several of them complain about five lari they pay to the union as a membership fee.

“My child has rupture in the back-bone and he will never manage to walk in his life. I know it but I try not to get desperate. Several parents, who are in similar situation as I am, think that the society is obliged to assist them. But they usually forget that first of all we should assist each other and then ask somebody for help. A person should struggle for his/her future in any case,” said Nato Gurgenidze, Dato’s mother.

There are 270 estimated disabled children under age of 16 in Zestafoni district. 110 out of them have cerebral palsy and 130 of them are mentally disabled.  Six doctors serve 30 children in the district; thus each doctor visits five children twice a week. Fifteen disabled children go to the center everyday; thus the union assists 45 children in total; however, there are lot more children who need professional assistance.

“Autumn Carnival” is performed on a small stage now but soon the beneficiaries of the Union will perform for other children too despite the fact that in most occasions it is difficult to lead those children into the buildings which do not have special entrance for disabled people.

“Orion” is an old Georgian word and it means daybreak. We wish this Union were the real daybreak for disabled children and their parents; for those people who are waiting the dawn in their difficult lives,’ said Zhana Feradze.

“Autumn Carnival” is coming to the end on the small stage of the room the Union has borrowed from the local government. Ana is perfect queen; Giorgi is dancing waltz in his carriage. The audience is greeting little actors with warm applauses. They wait for the daybreak every day.

Lela Khidasheli, Kutaisi