... the moment I said, "Quiet Rakhee!", she would gaze at me vacantly and start all over again. When I persisted, occasionally she would break into a smile and mumble something in a language which perhaps only she understood. Rakhee lived in a world of her own with only occasional glimpses of association with the reality of her surroundings.

She had come a long way from the time she joined the SAMADHAN family. The smiles came only after she had been with us for over a year and a half.

SAMADHAN was the last of several stops. It offered hope to Rakhee’s parents who had so far only encountered rejection. They were relieved and perhaps a little surprised at our positive response. She was admitted into our early intervention programme inspite of her severe mental retardation. Self-injurious behaviour was a problem that needed immediate attention. Her knuckles were injured and raw due to constant knocking on her teeth. She could eat only semi-solids in a lying down position and with great difficulty. She had also undergone surgery for cleft palate after which she constantly indulged herself by rolling her tounge and later making meaningless sounds. The other children at the centre grew accustomed to her sounds and made them meaningful by doing things that they felt she wanted. Working with her was indeed a challenge. Although there were limitations to what we could offer her, there was remarkable improvement. Rakhee was a part of all the centre’s activities. Being in the company of children and adults made her happy and friendly towards others.

She has left a lasting impression on me. She was the first severely disabled child I worked with. Training her was extremely difficult work, but the satisfaction I derived with each new skill She learnt was a reward in itslef. As she progressed, my hesitation and misgivings gave way to a new found confidence that convinced me that there is hope for even these children who are more often than not rejecte" at day care facilities because of the severity of their disability.

Rakhee is no longer with us. She was only eleven years old when she passed away. For the family, her demise is an irreversible loss. We at the centre will always cherish her memory. Time heals and some faces always keep coming back. Rakhee’s will be one such face. We thank Rakhee’s parents for giving us the chance to know and love her and make the short time she spent with us a happy one.