Struggling family with autistic child get generous support to return home

TDT | Manama                                                

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com     

Reported by Zahra Ayaz

Thanks to the generous support of the Indian Embassy and various social activists, a five-member family that was struggling even to buy medicines for their 11-year-old with autism spectrum disorder, can now breathe a sigh of relief.

Despite the challenges, the family persevered and managed to overcome their struggles with the help of kind-hearted individuals and organisations. They flew back to their home country, India, looking forward to a new beginning in their lives.

Social activists say the family was in dire circumstances, with the boy’s father and brother-in-law losing their jobs. To make matters worse, their employer declared them “runaway” in court, crushing their hopes of finding new employment.

With the boy undergoing treatment at the Salmaniya Medical Complex, the cost of medicines had become an added burden on their already-strained finances. Sudheer Thirunilath, a social activist, told The Daily Tribune that they had been in touch with the family since November last year and were helping them with medicines.

The Indian Embassy also stepped in to help during an open house chaired by Indian Ambassador Piyush Srivastava. With the help of the Migrant Workers Protection Society and other organizations, the family also received a favourable court decision to lift the ban on job search and visa changes, but finding new jobs proved to be a fruitless endeavour.

The only option left was to fly back to India. Thirunilath thanked Srivastava, Radhankar Shukhla, second secretary, and Priyanka, Vikas Nagia, Suren Lal, and Chethana at the labour section for assisting the family in returning to their homeland.

He also thanked the World NRI Council Team, Pravasi Legal Cell Team, Migrant Workers Protection Society (MWPS), Annai Tamil Mandram, Telugu Kala Samithi, and the Chairman, Principal, and Executive Committee of The Indian School for arranging food, medicine, and tickets.