March 26, 2019
Kovalam, one of India’s most popular beaches located in Kerala, is all set to
host a barrier-free kite festival in April. The two-day event on 27 and 28
April will bring together children with and without disabilities.
The kite festival is being organized by Helping Hands Organization
(H2O), an NGO based in Thiruvananthapuram. This is their second
edition and H2O is thrilled to be associated with one of the biggest
barrier-free kite festivals in the country
The grand success of last year’s kite festival is what prompted organizers
at H2O to repeat it again this year. The festival is primarily a fund-raising
event that also promotes the importance of barrier free places for children
with disabilities.
Jolly Johnson, founder, H2O says that while there are many
kite festivals in the world, few are open to children with disabilities.
In spite of being a popular tourist destination, Kovalam is still
inaccessible and not disabled-friendly. We ave informed authorities about
this and are in talks with nearby hotels to have accessible features. Some
of them have gladly introduced it. We hope to make this kite festival a
beautiful event and encourage more disabled children to step out of the
four walls of their homes. – Jolly Johnson, Founder, H2O
There are plans to have an exclusive space called Break Area for
children who want to take a break from all the noise and the crowds.
“Children with autism or ADHD tend to get anxious or irritated when there
is a lot of crowd. They can calm down and relax in this space. The aim is to
make it disabled friendly in all ways”, says Johnson.
Organizers plan to conduct an accessibility poll as well while the festival
is on so they can address those issues next year in the 2020 edition.
Children will be given a kite kit so they can make their own kites. Like last
year, eco-friendly kites will be used this year.
Apart from the event in Kovalam, H2O is also organizing a Kite
Tour in Kochi and Kozhikode. The added attractions, hopes
Yogita Dakshina, Communication Consultant, H2O, will attract
a bigger turnout this year.
“The whole concept of this event is to break barriers and make sure that
disabled kids also get a chance to explore and have fun. Last year, there
were more than 300 people who participated for the event. This year we expect
a bigger turn out”, she says.
So, if you are looking to explore Kerala and have some time, April might be a
good time to plan it.
Source: https://newzhook.com/story/21774
