We believe that through good and appropriate guidance and counselling, the disabled are better channelled to find useful information regarding their requests.
Our Guidance and Counselling Service was officially launched the 8th May 2004 on the occasion of a seminar held in collaboration with Lupus Alert at Lapeyrouse Community Centre.
Interested parties could come to the seat of the association, to our Day Care Centre or could phone on (230) 6962792.The response was quite immediate and we started to have requests for various items.
Some of the requests we succeeded to realise concerned:
- Renewal of pension
- Wheel chair
- Bus pass
- Doctors’ visit
- Shoes for one handicapped child
Case Studies
‘L’association Maison D’Entraide’
‘L’association Maison D’Entraide’ was formally known as Women Handicapped Association. It was founded on the 16th July 1983 and was registered on the 5th November 1984as an association for handicapped women, run by themselves.
Our association is presently situated at Avenue des Pelicans, Quatres Bornes in a residential house we acquire since 1993. Some are residents while other members stay on a temporary basis. The managing committee consists of handicapped and non-handicapped individuals and we contribute for our living.
We first met the members of Cypres Handicapped Association (CHA) when the latter invited us for their launching ceremony. Our friendship began blossoming in events we shared like: festivals, lunch, end of year parties, games, and so on. When we need some help for transport, administrative purposes, visit to medical and handicapped authorities, it is always with great generosity that CHA helps us.
So, for the 21st anniversary of our association in July 2004, it was with much endeavour that CHA accepted to help us in the organisation. In fact, Cypres Handicapped Association took charge of all aspects of the event like decoration, catering, speech, seating accommodation, transport facilities. The event was a success due to the contribution of CHA.
We are very thankful to Cypres Handicapped Association and we continue to rely on their sense of service, leadership and above all, their friendship.
Marie Louisa Larose, 7 years old
Marie Louisa Larose is a pretty little girl and one could not notice her handicap at sight view. In fact, during her first months of birth, her mother did not notice that her child had some physical dysfunctions.
Marie Louisa, also known as Emilie lives at Dubreuil on a crown land with her mother, Marie Anne Perrine, her father and her 4 year old sister and 2 year old brother. The living condition of her parents is quite precarious: the father does not have a fixed job, her mother has to stay with Emilie and they have been asked to leave their home for another place.
Marie Anne had knocked at various doors for help and it was by chance that she met the resource person of Cypres Handicapped Association, Lindsay Dercy. She then began to tell her story. Her child Emilie has a physical handicap with her left arm and leg since the early days she took birth. 18 months after, during a medical check-up with her pediatrist she got the diagnostic that Emilie’s left foot was shorter than the right one as she frequently lost balance.
Marie Anne tried to get specific help and information on her ward’s handicap but no concrete results could be obtained. In November 2003, Emilie got accidentally burned and she was admitted to the hospital. The very next day she had a convulsion. It was in fact the second time and Marie Anne happened to know that Emilie got the first one when she was 3 years old. Since then, Emilie’s psychological behaviour changed and she became very sensitive to unexpected events.
The quest for an orthopedic pair of shoes continued for months but to no avail. She then registered her child at Cypres Handicapped Association in 2005 on the advice of Lindsay. The association was then in a better position to help her and it was only after two weeks of administrative procedures to the Orthopedic Centre at Beau Bassin that Emilie finally obtained her shoes. This definitely helped her and she was much eager to indulge herself in activities she likes, for example: dancing and playing. CHA also succeeded in providing a card showing her handicap issued by the Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity and Senior Citizens Welfare and Reform Institution on the 19th January 2006.
Actually, CHA is trying to look for a specialized institution for Emilie due to the lateness she accumulated in her studies. However, Marie Anne expressed her gratitude to CHA for improving the health condition of her child and also for having allowed her to be more informed on Emilie’s handicap.
