Millions of students around the world are NOT receiving the Speech and Occupational Therapy services they need and deserve. What can be done to help? It is TinyEYE’s dream that students everywhere have access to quality SLP and OT services.
In the words of Jesse Owens, “We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.”
We are proud to be able to say that every member of our TinyEYE Team, from the therapists to the technical team, and from the eHelpers to the Human Resource team, believe in and drive toward that vision every day. Here are a few of the countless initiatives that our team has taken:
Discrimination towards children with difficulty speaking or communicating is a known problem in Cambodia.
TinyEYE provided support to CABDICO, an organization dedicated to the empowerment of people with disabilities in Cambodia. Ratai, one of the many students requiring support in Cambodia was completely nonverbal, could not stand up and could not complete any independent activities. She has been receiving Speech Language Pathology services and has learned to sit and stand independently and is learning how to walk. She is also learning to communicate!
A Speech Therapy course has been added to the University of Health Science in Cambodia. Speech therapy was also included in the Cambodian Government’s National Disability Strategic Plan for 2014-18. There are thousands of other children like Ratai in Cambodia who are finally being given the chance to receive the services they need and deserve.
– Kiva Microloans to Improve Education Access:
“Education is the single best investment in prosperous, healthy and equitable societies.” – UN Food & Agriculture Organization
In many countries around the world, education is considered a luxury and not a right. Instead of spending their time in schools, children are working alongside their parents or caring for younger siblings while their parents work. Yet, education is the single biggest factor in an individual’s empowerment and ability to provide for his or her family.
Kiva Microloans provide people in the most remote areas around the globe with the power to create opportunity for themselves. This opportunity then allows the parents to build an income for the family and frees the children to attend educational classes. The effects are outstanding. There are 69 million people in the world who aren’t in school. TinyEYE employees have banded together to create an unstoppable force for change – so far, the lives of 103 families have changed forever by the donation of education, farming supplies, medication and transportation. Every one of those 103 families has a better outlook for tomorrow.
– Bringing Water to Kenya with charity:water
Every year, 443 million school days are missed due to lack of clean water and sanitation. 50% of schools globally do not have clean drinking water. Many children are walking 3 hours a day to the closest water source – often a swamp or pond full of dangerous bacteria. Of course, this is time that they are not spending in school learning. Through charity:water, TinyEYE helped bring clean drinking water to Kenya. Now, children who were spending all of their time gathering dirty, dangerous water are spending their time attending school. They and their families have the time and the health to work, to learn, and to provide for one another. They have a future.
Many places internationally have access to clean water and have educational facilities. But they are still missing resources necessary to provide children with the education they need. Many rural areas of the United States and Canada have spent years trying to attract and hire Speech-Language Pathologists and Occupational Therapists to support the needs of their students. These students grow up without receiving the services they need, despite the best efforts of their schools. Telepractice can change all of that. Therapists work from home, and are able to connect with students anywhere. Geographic and socioeconomic boundaries no longer exist.
Children learn, children grow, and children become engaged in their lives.
As a result of these critical services, children are able to better learn in school because they understand what is being communicated in the classroom, and they have the ability to focus on their lessons. They are able to socialize with their peers, and gain confidence as individuals. Eventually, they are able to successfully graduate and become contributing members of society.
TinyEYE isn’t just a therapy company. TinyEYE is a community of therapists and professionals who are passionate about making a difference in the lives of children everywhere. We’d love for you to join us.
