A day at Divya Jyoti

The day begins at 9AM when the managers, Sheela and Nathan, and the four special educators arrive at the centre. A first batch of students who live close to the centre arrives on foot and they start to clean the centre, waiting for the 2 rickshaws bringing the other students to arrive.

At 10AM, when all the students have arrived, they participate, along with the staff, in the morning gathering, a non religious ceremony of traditional chanting and candle lighting. Then, the students volunteer for the daily tasks; some will buy food for lunch or cook the meal, others must clean the toilet, serve water or make afternoon tea. Every day, the students take turns in the different tasks and do what they can, according to their abilities.

Then it is time for morning exercise: stretching and coordination movements, according to everybody's capacities.

Till lunch time, the daily duties take place while the other students work in 3 groups, managed by 3 special educators: some learn basic education such as counting, reading or basic knowledge necessary for everyday needs, others learn how to make handicraft and another group learns how to cook. These activities all focus on the students' specific needs in order to restore their self-respect and dignity and provide opportunities for them to participate in all aspects of life. To learn more about daily activities click here.

Lunch is then shared all together after a short non religious prayer and the students then take a nap till 2PM.

The second part of the day consists in finishing the work started in the morning and the day ends after tea time at 3.30PM for the students and staff.