Rotarians learn about India's disabled residents, challenges

PACE — Pace Rotary Club’s latest guest speaker was Dr. Annie Cherian, a charter member of Rotary Club of Pace and facilitator of the club’s international project with Madonna in rural India.

Madonna is a Catholic day school for children and adults with a range of physical and mental challenges.

Each year, the club, Interact, and a number of Pace Rotarians donate to assist the school with materials, wheelchairs and a transport van. Cherian delivers these gifts and shares with the club the difference its members make in Madonna students’ lives.

“In India, there remains an unfortunate and widespread belief that disabilities are caused by curses or misdeeds and therefore (are) a source of shame for the entire family,” a Rotary media release states. “As a result, there is a critical lack of education, employment and vocational training.”

Madonna fills this need by providing an environment where students learn skills that will allow them to be contributing members of their communities.

While primarily a day school, some students live on site, having been abandoned by their families.  The nuns work tirelessly to reduce the stigma and bridge the gap between their students and mainstream society.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Rotarians learn about India's disabled residents, challenges