Umeed Special Academy (USA) was a dream of Late Mr.Shamshad khan (special educator, M.S.E.),l, which was established on 28th March 2000 for the education, training, and management of special children, especially mentally challenged children (slowing down or total arrest of the growth of mental faculties), and to give intermittent, limited extensive and pervasive support to reach their optimum level of functioning and to become a useful part of the community at large.
Shining over the enlightening horizon emanating from ST-35, Sector 37-A, Baber market, Landhi No 3, Karachi 75160, USA is a harmonious blend of able, noble, humble and gentle round-the-clock endeavors of Late Shamshad Khan and his team for blossoming special kids of Pakistan.
Late Shamshad and company of devoted and committed teachers and caretakers of special kids with their loving and caring parents or guardians graced IoBM’s Jashn e baharan with their regular and rejuvenating presence year-after-year.
Indeed note-worthy on this occasion was especially TV channels preferring afternoon special kids galore over late night concert unless the latter was being specifically media sponsored.
Leading TV channels, GEO, Express, AJJ, PTV, HUM, DUNYA and all were mesmerized by many special schools, especially USA’s unbelievable and enthralling display of arts and crafts, music and tableau, dresses and colors with Late Shamshad guiding, singing and carrying the show from the IoBM platform to local, regional and national laurels.
What a truly remarkable blend of such unity, faith, and discipline, our Quaid’s motto, Late Shamshad accustomed to and acclimatized his special ones, humbly.speaking, as a model. for.Pakistan.
Late Shamshad Khan, so able, so noble, so humble and so gentle, led by example in simplicity and austerity, accommodating special kids of the less-privileged for free training and schooling and emulating in them the spirit of self- help, self-reliance, and self- confidence through training and rehabilitation in such skills and trades that enable them to stand on their own feet towards a better and brighter life.
Among Umeed Special Academy success stories is, by the grace of Allah, Aisha Kanwal (Umeed Special Academy student), was selected for World Special Olympic, held in Nov.2007 at (shingai) China. She won gold, silver & bronze medals in Bocce games. Now Aisha Kanwal has got employment at Gull Ahmed Textile Mills.
Three cheers for Late Shamshad Khan who picked raw talent from the oblivion of the special folks and harnessed it from the grassroots level to local, national and global milestones, laurels and success stories.
Late Shamshad Khan to be remembered as a role model endeavoring and providing solace and support to the sick, stressed and depressed special kids, helping or enabling parents manage their incomprehensibly sick special little ones with all their hypersensitivities, dealing with the daunting problems of treatment, care, training and rehabilitation of special children amid soaring inflation and financial constraints, managing time, priorities, crises and conflicts in the routine challenges of a noble cause and leading by overwhelming example of self-help and self-reliance for special kids and their caretakers.
Now, Zaid Saif Khan, the illustrious son of Late Shamshad Khan with a passion to serve the cause of special kids in his heart and glimmer of altruistic hope in his eyes, vows in humility to carry forward the sacred mission of his father emulating the vim and vitality of the latter in letter and in spirit.
