Friendship, Society of Handicapped Children`s Parents

"Friendship" is a non-profit organization which has been working since May 1994. Its main goal was the establishing of a new social welfare institution for the local handicapped children and developing their abilities.

All the mentally and physically handicapped people have the right to be an active part of the society as anybody else. They have the right to study, work, have their own place to live and a safe background. They have the right to have friends who are always willing to give a hand when it is necessary. The key mission of the Society Friendship is to ensure these rights to the handicapped people. Children are prepared for their integration into common school institutions.

We are most grateful to our main sponsors:

• The Ministry of Labour and Social Security
• The Municipal Authority in Česká Třebová
• The District Authority in Ústí nad Orlicí
• The Czech Council of Humanitarian Societies in Prague
• The Foundation Child`s Brain in Prague
• Phare, the Foundation for the Development of National Societies in Prague
• The Society Duha (Rainbow), the Foundation for Handicapped Children with cerebral palsy in Trutnov
• Charta 77, Account Barriers in Prague

• educational and pedagogical activities
• individual computer programmes
• psychotherapy and musicotherapy
• working therapy in the work-room for art and crafts
• family relations
• skills needed in the household and garden
• preparation of the handicapped children for integration into common schools
• exercising on the cycle, totalgym, stepper, rehabilitation balls etc.
• competitions of the handicapped - Abilympics in Pardubice, Vivat Vita in Zlín and Olomouc
• hiporehabilitation
• socio-legal counseling

Pre-school age children´s programme is aimed at the development of psychomotor progress and speaking. There is a game room at children´s disposal, as well as a computer with educational CD programmes, a rehabilitation pool with balls, a harmonium and a pearl bath.

Inside activities are combined with playing in the garden and walking in the surroundings. During the last year, three of the children were integrated into a common kindergarten. There was an opportunity to accept three new clients.

Shool age children with a mental and physical handicap are trained for a maximum of independence and routine.

Adult clients work in a computer, pottery and closing room. Musicotherapy is also practised here, especially playing the flute. One of the clients learned how to compose songs of his own.

In 1999, the handicapped took part in the festival Fimfárum 99 in Olomouc, Abilympiáda in Pardubice and Vivat Vita in Zlín.

Pottery products manufactured in our work-room have been sold in a new tea-room in the centre of the town of Ceska Trebová. An exhibition has been installed there to present nice products made by the handicapped.

Thanks to the project Phare, all the handicapped clients are transported into the social welfare institution building and to the nearest village where they enjoy hiporehabilitation. On the base of another project financed by Phare, a new small rehabilitation gym was established in the year 1999, both for the handicapped clients and their parents.

The Society Friendship, now in its third year, has helped to improve psychic and physical mood of all the clients.