The PRERONA PROJECT

The Prerona Inspiration is a  development co-operation project for special education, traininh and rehabilitation for children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The project is funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Finland.

The project works for the human rights, equality and inclusion of people with ASD. The mission is to enhance mutual learning, communality and global partnership.

The aim of the first phase of the Prerona Project 2007-2008 was to increase the number of autism spectrum children to be able to achieve basic educational skills and develop educational rehabilitation facilities at the SWAC School in Dhaka.  The co-operation project has brought basic teaching material and technical help (computers etc) as well as schooling for doctors, nurses, teachers and the personnel at the SWAC School. Also a new section for underprivileged children has been opened and the number of students at the basic education has increased.

Active co-operation with networking partners has started and this is to be continued and deepened during the second phase of the Prerona Project 2009-2011. The educational skills and knowledge of the SWAC personnel need to be deepened and the school still needs material support. A training package for parents will be produced and parental support with Home Rehabilitation Program has started. The school has ambulant teachers and a full time occupational therapist at work with the support of the Prerona Project.

The project aims to bring positive attitude change in the society towards autism by arranging awareness campaigns throughout the country. Also creating an academic curriculum for the SWAC School and a personal curriculum (IEP) for each student is on the way. Educational packages will be designed for teachers, social workers, doctors and nurses. A guide book on autism for families will be published on 2011.

The Finnish counterpart has made several educational trips to Bangladesh from 2007 bringing with them Finnish experts, and these educational workshops will continue. Also two teachers and the project coordinator from the SWAC personnel visited Finland in May 2009.

Since the beginning, an equal partnership has been emphasized. The project offers a possibility to learn through each other’s cultural specificities.