With the Support of Orange Foundation Already for the Third Year Summer Recreation Camp in Aparan Hosts Children with Autism

In the scope of strategic cooperation between Orange Foundation and “Arabkir” United Children’s Charity Foundation, the autistic children in care of “ArBeS” Health and Day Care Center and its rehabilitation affiliates in regions already for the third year participate in summer recreation camp in Aparan.

In the scope of the project 2-week recreation for 16 7-14 year old autistic children, accompanied by their nurses and special teachers, is organized in the summer camp, where alongside with treatment the children enjoy their summer recreation filled with various games and interesting events. The camp maximally boosts communication of the autistic children with their peers.

This year 2 teachers of the French-Armenian professional school undergo training in the summer camp, who, living side-by-side with these children, will get acquainted with their behavior and the specificities of work with them. In the scope of the project it is planned to introduce professional education program of autistic children in the center.

To that end 2 specialists of “ArBeS” Health and Day Care Center and the French-Armenian professional school have already undergone training in France, in Lyon Center for Organization of Professional Education, which later will become the partner of this project. It is planned to invite an expert from France.

Summer recreation camp constitutes only a part of the program financed for already the third year by Orange Foundation. The program, as a whole, consists of several projects: equipping 1 rehabilitation center in Yerevan and 7 in the regions with necessary special equipment and games. Autism awareness trainings with participation of total 200 teachers, children and parents, have been organized in 2 schools and 2 kindergartens of Yerevan as well as in 4 schools and 4 kindergartens of Kotayk region. Trainings on early detection and early intervention as well as on the new method of detecting autism (CHAT) have been organized for first contact specialists in Kotayk region and in 2 polyclinics of Yerevan. Trainings, participated by 200 specialists, have already been held in Kotayk region.

In the scope of the program it is planned to implement a pilot project of creation of a rehabilitation service in one of the polyclinics of Yerevan, aiming to make possible early detection of children with autism and with other development disorders as well as early intervention.

“For already 20 years of its operation in many countries, care for children with autism is one of the main priorities of Orange in the scope of its philanthropic activity. Autism is a disease which affects communication abilities of the person. Our vocation, as a telecommunication company, is to facilitate communication between people. It is already for the third year that with the support of Orange Foundation the summer camp is hosting children with autism for whom it is so important to communicate and have their pastime,” said Bruno Duthoit, Chairman of the Board of Orange Foundation.

As stated by Professor Ara Babloyan, member of the Board of Trustees of “Arabkir” United Children’s Charity Foundation and Scientific Adviser of “Arabkir” Medical Complex, “The camp is a small mockup of our society where children display their communication and behavioral capabilities. With joy I can say that we succeeded in achieving great results with autistic children during these 3 years. If in the beginning the children did not even want to enter the camp, now we witness quite a different situation with them. They spend most of their time with other their peers and special teachers, they even have friends now, they eat such dishes they have not even tasted before and they participate in games and events. Of course, we still have much to do in this respect. However, I can say that our expectations are justified. I’m quite convinced that these children will find their proper place in our society. This, perhaps, is the objective of each of us”.

Orange Foundation has allocated in total 25.869.000 AMD for implementation of the project in 2012, aimed at organization of both training courses and summer camp, as well as equipment of Childern’s development and rehabilitation centers in Yerevan and regions with necessary special equipment and games.