Salome Children’s Social Welfare Institution
Salome is a centre for children with special needs and their families. It has a special health care, rehabilitation, pedagogical and social program for children lasting from birth to the end of schooling.
Together with the Maryška and Čtyřlístek Civil Associations, Salome prepared an interesting event, “Jiné světy” (Different Worlds) in October of this year. I met the Head of the institution, Mrs Jarka Krömerová at the preview of the works of handicapped people.
Your work with handicapped children must be very demanding.
This job gives a sense to our life, to see the progress of the children brings great satisfaction. Not to mention that we ourselves chose our job and we enjoy it. Our patients did not choose this destiny – they were given it. So they are the ones who deserve our admiration. When the patients are not alone with their problems it gives them strength.
Yes, my friend got a real extra lift when she was able to start a job, even if only part time.
What is not so good is our financial insecurity. We are a non profit organization and each year we have to get the money together to continue operating. I am currently preparing a project for the region which if everything works will give us 70% of the costs and the other 30% will be up to us. The town will give half a million but we are still short of one million for which we have to find sponsors – and trust me that it is very hard. To give you an example – heating and hot water cost us 280,000 CZK per year.
You also need to have qualified staff, special tools, rehabilitation equipment….
We have qualified nurses, a rehabilitation team – a neurologist, physiotherapist, nurse, psychologist, speech therapist, special teachers and there are also trained volunteers helping us. We have equipped the rehabilitation gym, relaxation and water massage tube, the sauna, the rehabilitation pool, and we can do paraffin wraps, magneto therapy, ball therapy and work with therapeutic lamps.
A computer with the special Boardmaker program from Bochemie, :o)
Yes, we are grateful for all help, but the financial one is crucial for us. All our employees have limited time contracts – for one year only because we do not know if we will be able to work next year. One specially shaped spoon for handicapped children costs 600 CZK. I think that business with these items is even better than the pharmacy business… A quality wheelchair for a handicapped child costs the same as an older car.
I was surprised by the high expert level of your lectures on people with communication difficulties during “Jiné světy” (Different Worlds).
Yes, our unique cooperation with experts from clinical practice pushes our work in the institution in a very interesting direction; we have cooperated on long term research with national importance for autistic children. The results of the work with autistic children were presented at conference of the Association of Clinical Speech Therapists. In February I am to present our work to our German colleagues who have invited me in connection with the European project of Czech – German partnership. We have made a beautiful and comprehensive documentary – three years – which tells the stories of these children and our work with them.
An exhibition of paintings by handicapped people was also part of the program– are such magical items really done by your patients?
Yes, when taught well our children are able to do unbelievable things and the value lies not only in the fact that they are made by handicapped people…
Thank you for the interview and I am looking forward to your next event.
Bochemie regularly helps and supports the operation of the Salome Children’s Social Welfare Institution in Bohumín.
If you would like to join, this is the contact information:
Slezská diakonie – Salome
Nerudova 1041
735 81 Bohumín
Czech Republic
tel./fax 596 013 434
mobil: 732 744 426
e-mail: salome@slezskadiakonie.cz
www.slezskadiakonie.cz