Leyla Aliyeva visits special schools in Baku
By Nigar Orujova
Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Leyla Aliyeva visited a number of special training facilities for children on October 9.
The Heydar Aliyev Foundation is making a considerable contribution to ensuring the protection of children's rights, which is among government's key priorities in Azerbaijan.
First, Aliyeva arrived in the republican special boarding school No 5 for children with restricted health conditions in Narimanov district of Baku.
The school was established in 1961. The reconstruction of the boarding school was initiated by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in 2006. 267 visually impaired children aged between 6 and 20, of them 145 totally blind, are educating in the school.
Alieyeva made a tour of a canteen of the school, and talked with the children.
Children, who have come from different regions, live in the 120-bed hostel of the facility. The school is fitted with the necessary equipment. The children at the school were presented with computers.
Then, Aliyeva visited the music school No 38 for visually impaired children. 204 children are receiving special education at the facility.
Following, Aliyeva visited special school No 268 in Nasimi district.
She toured the school and met with children there. This school was built in 1927. A total of 930 children with psychological problems receive education here, with 130 of them being taught in the school and the rest getting home education. The teaching process is carried out in Azerbaijani and Russian languages.
The school was completely reconstructed in 2003 on the initiative of President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva.
The children at the school were presented with computers, teaching aids and bags.
Aliyeva also visited somatic sanatorium No 6 in Garadagh district.
Here children receive rehabilitation course at the 50-bed sanatorium.
Aliyeva spoke with children at a tea table. Some 34 children are currently being treated at the sanatorium. The children were presented with gifts on behalf of the foundation.
Animal shelter established in Baku
Leyla Aliyeva also attended a groundbreaking ceremony of an animal shelter establishement in Garadagh district of Baku on October 9.
Aliyeva viewed the master plan of the shelter, a project of International Dialogue for Environmental Action (IDEA) Public Association.
The shelter is aimed to accommodate nearly 5,000 animals, in particular dogs and cats. It designers have used foreign experiences in building the shelter. The facility can also be used to examine and treat rare animals in the urban environment, for example horses and some birds.
The shelter will help reduce the number of abandoned animals in Baku and the surrounding areas and prevent some infectious diseases.
The IDEA is implementing some large-scale local and international projects to protect the environment and promote innovative approaches to solving environmental problems.