CERCI Braga – Education and Rehabilitation Cooperative for More Included Citizens inaugurated the ‘5enses Sensory Garden’ yesterday at its facilities in Navarra. It is a therapeutic and sensory garden and aims to develop more skills among clients with less autonomy.
“It is a project that aims to work on the more therapeutic and stimulation component. The garden explores the various senses. We have a sense of smell with different plants, such as lavender or rosemary. We also have the taste, with a small plantation of strawberries and passion fruit, the colors of the plants, the water and the sound of various instruments”, indicated Vera Vaz, president of the Board of Directors of CERCI Braga.
The space also allows the development of various personal skills. “This space allows us to work on issues such as balance, sensory stimulation and coordination. There are several aspects that can be worked on in the garden aspect and that aim at the therapeutic component”, explained the president of the Board of Directors of CERCI – Braga.
The project is also available to the community, such as “kindergartens, homes or ordinary citizens who want to visit us and who now have a pleasant space here”, added Vera Vaz.
The event was attended by the President of Braga City Council, Ricardo Rio, and the Secretary of State for Social Action and Inclusion, Clara Marques Mendes.
The president of Braga City Council, Ricardo Rio, considered that the garden project is a good example of social inclusion.
“CERCI Braga has had an absolutely remarkable journey, both from the point of view of ensuring its own sustainability, but above all in terms of strengthening projects that aim to create better conditions for integration and reception of users. This sensory garden is an example of this” , highlighted Ricardo Rio. The mayor of Braga also said that the municipality has supported several institutions such as CERCI in multiple ways, from logistics to financial support, including direct financing. Ricardo Rio highlighted that institutions such as CERCI Braga have been a fundamental partner of the municipality and challenged the State to support social solidarity institutions more. “The challenge I posed to the Secretary of State was that the State as a whole, and the ministry to which she is linked, be a factor of leverage and support for these institutions”, highlighted Ricardo Rio.
The Secretary of State for Social Action and Inclusion, Clara Marques Mendes, liked the project and guaranteed all possible support from the State.
“The institution has done an excellent job with regard to the inclusion and training of people with disabilities. We have been very concerned about social areas and inclusion. We want to be close to these institutions and understand the difficulties that the institutions are experiencing. The State has to be attentive and articulate a lot with these institutions”, highlighted the Secretary of State for Social Action and Inclusion, Clara Marques Mendes.
The project had the support of Fujitsu and was born from the perception of motivations and capabilities of CERCI Braga users. It was incubated at the Human Power Hub’s Boost Camp in Braga.
The inaugural session featured an occupational therapy session held in the garden and the dramatization of the inclusive children’s story ‘A Loja dos Brinquedos’ by CERCI Braga clients.
CERCI Braga has an Activity and Training Center for Inclusion and Autonomization and Inclusion Residences.
