Source: Αμυμώνη
Being able to put life on hold during the pandemic is a privilege that many do not have. Organizations that work to meet the needs of vulnerable groups therefore are also unable to put their work on hold and must find new ways to continue. In this spirit of perseverance, Amimoni is adapting its work to the new conditions, providing services at a distance to families with infants and preschoolers with vision problems.
Since Amimoni’s instructors cannot visit children at home as they normally would, they are offering weekly remote sessions online as part of the Early Intervention program. During these sessions, the instructors discuss parents’ their thoughts and concerns, provide guidance for daily life with their children, and where possible, offer exercises and activities for the children. At the same time, Amimoni has created a suite of digital activities and educational material for parents, while also preparing individualized resources for each family.
The newly adapted Amimoni program was highlighted by the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities as an example of good practice to be used by early intervention institutions in Europe.
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) has supported the work of Amimoni in operating and expanding of its Early Intervention program, as well as its Activity Nest program, throughout Greece. A past grant from SNF supported the organization in acquiring a school bus to transport kids.
Amimoni is a PanHellenic Association of Parents, Guardians and Friends of visually impaired people with additional special needs. It was founded in 1993 in Athens, and its mission is to support children and adults with vision problems, with the ultimate goal of empowering self-sufficiency to the degree that their disability will allow.