Crosslink Development International

Seven kids hover over computer monitors, most of them sharing a screen, as they carefully follow directions from their teacher. They are taking a computer class provided by CDI at an orphanage near Bishkek. We have written previously about the education efforts that CDI is involved in for children with special needs. Unfortunately, due to financial support being lower than expected this year, we have been unable to retain the majority of our teachers.
Azamat is the one exception at this orphanage. He grew up in this very orphanage, went to college, and now works for CDI teaching kids living in similar situations to his own childhood. His classes keep getting bigger. He used to only have one computer, but now, due to a partner in the US who was able to locate used computers, he now has six! They are all in use. Kids call out to him for assistance throughout the class, and he patiently helps work through the problems step by step.
If you are interested in supporting Azamat’s work, and helping us pay the salaries for other teachers, please go to the donate tab on CDI website.

Elina is a cheerful four-year-old girl. Her smile is big, though the rest of her body can hardly move. She has not always been disabled though. When she was only a month old she slipped from her father’s arms and suffered a brain injury which led to the physical disability. It’s difficult to imagine the pain and self-accusation her parents have gone through since that day.

In order to seek better help for their daughter, the family decided to move from their rural home to Kyrgyzstan’s capital city, Bishkek. Elina’s father works hard at a bazaar (outdoor market) to provide for his family and to pay for medicine and treatment for his Elina. Maybe he hopes to see his daughter healed so he can be free from the heavy load of guilt.

Elina’s parents recently heard about CDI’s Tassir Project, which equips children with disabilities with adaptive equipment. They got in touch with the project, and when staff assessed Elina, It was quickly clear that a chair would be a huge help. She is currently not able to sit independently and spends most of her time lying on the floor. She has very poor control of her hands and has difficulty using them for anything. Any development in her hands was challenging, as she couldn’t even see them as they lay on the floor at her sides. Her mother also shared how difficult even the simple task of feeding her was, when she was unable to sit up to swallow.

With the support of some project money and the parent’s personal contributions, the family was able to buy a therapy chair. After about one month, the project’s social worker visited Elina again. She was already enjoying her new chair and even after this very short time, it was recognizable that her body posture had improved. Her mother is so thankful that she can feed her daughter much more easily now. Elina has also started to play with toys using her hands. She pushes her ball off the table and is pleased when her mother reacts. This allows her to interact socially and further motivates her to use her arms and hands.

The simple addition of a therapy chair gave practical solutions and hope for the future.