Dong Dong is the Champion! |
01 February 2010
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"Hooray! Dong Dong won again".
Dong Dong (12) is a confident and optimistic boy in a family who is paralyzed from his waist down, and also suffers from brittle bone, making even normal day-to-day activities dangerous. Yet despite these restrictions, Dong Dong is often seen wearing big smile on his face - but this wasn't always the case.
When Dong Dong first arrived in the foster family, he was angry and anxious, and had frequent temper tantrums. He was clearly frustrated watching his peers happily go to school every day and play with friends while he remained housebound. He saw himself as unworthy and unwanted.
His foster father soon understood that missing out on school life increased Dong Dong's risk of social isolation and skill incompetence. Special education needs support is still very limited in his village. So he decided to teach Dong Dong to play Chinese chess. His birth son was also very supportive and bought home many books to improve his chess skills. To everyone's great joy Dong Dong showed both interest and talent in chess, and quickly progressed. He played with his foster father, foster brother, neighbors and social workers, and soon became a local champion! This positive experience gave Dong Dong a vital sense of belonging and achievement.
The personal attention from Dong Dong's foster father nurtured his talent was a significant turning point in his developmental pathway, and helped to turn his life around. As a result of his foster family's love and encouragement, Dong Dong is now able to greet new situations with self-confidence in his abilities and ask for support when necessary.
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Recounted by Emma Zhang
Part of Care for Children's training team
Names have been changed for identity protection purposes.
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