KARACHI, April 27: A 40-bed Irfan Mowjee Home for the Elderly Poor was inaugurated at the Ida Rieu School and College for the Deaf and Blind on Friday evening.

The entire construction cost of over Rs10 million was donated by Yasmin and Sultan Mowjee, in memory of their son Irfan, who died of a blood disorder at a very young age.

Earlier, Mr Mowjee, Admiral (retd) Khalid Mir, Mahar Alvi and Qudsia Khan of the Ida Rieu Welfare Association spoke.

They said that the building of the existing home for the poor elderly which was constructed over 80 years back was in a bad shape so the number of inmates had been restricted, but now with the new building more poor elderly people would be accommodated.

They said that specially trained attendants took care of the elderly inmates who were provided food, medical care, clothing, etc.

On the occasion, a brief resume of the Ida Rieu was also given. The speakers said that established in 1920 the school having a staff of over 135 specially trained teachers provided education from Class I to postgraduate level to over 850 deaf and blind students. Over 200 male and female students stayed at the school’s hostels.

They said that other facilities at the Ida Rieu campus, located on Nizami Road at Old Numaish, were computer training; tailoring and embroidery; cane workshop; music classes; book binding workshop; wood working; clay moulding workshop; Inner Wheel Medical Clinic; Ibn Hasan Burney Old People Home; gymnasium; Hatim Alvi Memorial Braile Library; Poor People’s Home.

They said the students had been participating in sports events and had won medals in martial arts and Ida Rieu’s cricket team had won the national championship.