Pooja Raju
It fills us with great pride to share that one of our very own girls; Pooja Raju of Kilkari Home, Delhi won three gold medals for the relay race and two silver medals for 100 and 200 meters sprints at the Special Olympics held in Los Angeles in July 2016.
Born in a village in Uttar Pradesh, Pooja’s dominant childhood memories are of an abusive family. Around the age of eight, she decided to run away without a rupee. She boarded a bus to the town and from there a train to Delhi. Eventually she found her way to a drop-in- centre to Kilkari Rainbow Home. Pooja’s sunny temperament helped her settle into Kilkari effortlessly, and she quickly made friends. Realizing that Pooja was unable to read, write and speak as per her age and once after confirming though a testing that she was intellectually challenged, she was placed at Amar Jyoti, a school offering holistic and inclusive education for children with physical and mental challenges. Here Pooja blossomed, her speech cleared, she discovered a love for dancing. Sensing her interest and excellent performance in sports, the school enrolled her for state and then national level special sports events, all of which she trounced effortlessly. Recruited into the Indian National Team, she underwent a series of training camps that culminated in her being selected to represent India in the Special Olympics.
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