Guro-gu runs healing program for people with disabilities and their caregiving families

Seoul's Guro-gu announced Thursday it is running a healing program for people with disabilities and their caregiving families as part of a community-based rehabilitation initiative.

Four resident teams from a healthy-village community organization will visit a total of six facilities, including centers for people with disabilities and facilities for children with disabilities. The program offers hands-on activities — nanta (a percussion performance), ocarina playing, art activities and eco-friendly crafts — to provide emotional support and a restorative experience for participants and their families.

The program kicked off June 10 at Yeeun Disabled Day Care Center with an eco-friendly craft session and held a nanta performance and activity session on Wednesday. It will run six times in total through November, with visits to facilities including Neulpureum Sheltered Workshop and Anaul Disabled Children's Daycare Center.

The program operates entirely on voluntary talent donations from residents, with no separate budget allocated.

"This program is meaningful because the warm talent donations of residents provide great strength to people with disabilities and their families," district mayor Jang In-hong said. "We will continue to actively connect community resources to improve the health and quality of life of people with disabilities, as well as work to raise public awareness about disability."

Meanwhile, the Guro-gu Slow Learner Support Center is accepting applications through July 6 for a family healing experience program. The program is divided into two outings — a rural farm experience at Mindlle Village in Gyeonggi Province and a coastal experience on Daebudo where participants can encounter tidal flat wildlife.