Communication is one of the basic needs of any person in society. While freelance videographer and tutor Tan Keng Ying knows the frustration of being deaf and partially blind (in her left eye) in a world geared for the seeing and…
One of Mohamed Zimnaan’s fondest childhood memories was playing in a sandpit – an average day in the park for any kid. Born with hereditary TAR (thrombocytopenia with absent radius) syndrome, 16-year-old Zimnaan has short arms and legs, in addition…
“The expectation of disability not being a difference should start from young.” That is exactly what Singapore’s first inclusive preschool, Kindle Garden, aims to achieve. First opened this January, Kindle Garden strives to provide an inclusive learning environment for…
Society plays a huge role in how individuals perceive themselves and negotiate their identities. The way people with disabilities are integrated into, or separated from, their communities sends important messages about their positions in society. This is something that Torrie…
Ghazala Samunn knows what it’s like to feel the insecurities that comes with parenthood. Originally from Sri Lanka, Ghazala and her husband were working in the Maldives when their son was born. Zimnaan was born with TAR syndrome (thrombocytopenia with…
Children with disabilities may have all the family support they need, but for them to truly thrive, it often takes support from the family, institutions and children themselves. A balance of love and age-appropriate independence training, topped off with a…
Inclusion of people with disabilities in Singapore is a work in progress. There is no denying that much has been done, but we can certainly accomplish more. One way is to start with the young: integrating mandatory disability awareness education…
Families are often the first pillars of support for children with disabilities (CWDs). As with any child, the way that parents treat their children when they are young will have a lasting impact on their futures. Since parents often also…
I drove back from my son’s college concert near midnight. Exhausted, I glanced at my fourteen-year-old daughter, Beth, asleep in the passenger seat. We were only ten minutes from home. I thought I could make it until I heard a road sign…
Anaya is a 7-year-old first grader who was born without hands. She recently won a national penmanship honor when she was awarded the Nicholas Maxim Special Award for Excellence in Penmanship. Anaya does not wear prosthetics. Instead, she writes…