A few years ago, I was first introduced to Millie, a girl living at the School and Rehabilitation Center for the Blind in Padhar. She had severe mental impairments and was having a hard time. When she first arrived she was very combative, would physically harm her caregivers and it was a chore to get her to eat, dress and care for herself. She was isolated and would not make eye contact or engage with others, unless it was to express her anger. The situation was so bad that the staff made arrangements to transport Millie to a different facility. They just couldn’t care for her in ways that would help her. The day before she was set to move, the caregiver and the director both got a message that they needed to help Millie and so they decided to keep her. From that day, she began to make progress. The staff changed their methods and expectations and learned how to communicate with Millie.
I hadn’t seen Millie in two and a half years, but when I went to visit the School and Rehabilitation Centre for the Blind, there she was among the crowd of girls at SRCB. I had to ask, “Is that Millie?” Because she was engaged; she was making eye contact and reacting to language and smiles; she was interacting with others and not just on her own, as she was before.
There are a myriad of reasons for Millie’s improvement, mostly within Millie herself, I’m sure. But I think a nurturing environment, a community in which to belong, and caregivers and staff who are willing to adjust and learn what they do not know … well, those things matter.
Below: Photo of Millie in 2018 and photo of the girls at SCRB with Millie on the far right, 2022.
