First OptiMusic device for Sannat primary school

The HSBC Cares for Children Fund has donated Malta's first OptiMusic device to the children's special unit, located at the Professor Guzè Aquilina Primary School in Sannat.

One of the most creative recent additions in the areas of education and rehabilitation, OptiMusic enables children to play music by interacting with coloured light beams, which trigger sounds. It proved to be an excellent tool in stimulating the senses of children and its accessibility enables children with special needs to make use of the device.

The chairman of the HSBC Cares for Children Fund, Chris Hothersall, presented the device to the school's acting head teacher, Saviour Portelli, in the presence of Minister Giovanna Debono.

"During my first visit to the Children's Special Unit in Sannat, I was really struck by the dedication of all the teachers here," Mr Hothersall said. "The children who attend this school need constant attention and the HSBC Cares for Children Fund is here to help in any way it can." I'm delighted to be back here today to present this fantastic machine which will help the children here enormously and will also help the staff to deliver the care they feel these children deserve."

OptiMusic also provides a therapeutic environment with widespread applications for all professionals and caregivers in the health and rehabilitation sector. These range from gross and fine motor skill developments to communication building and the nurturing of a positive self-image. With this device, children will be given the opportunity to learn to interact with their surroundings and develop skills which will improve their quality of life.

"The HSBC Cares for Children Fund has been a great friend of the Children's Special Unit in Sannat," Minister Debono said. "The fund has listened carefully to the needs of the carers and teachers here and has responded generously. In partnership with the Government, the fund is working to provide these children with the attention they deserve and to guarantee that their quality of life is as good as possible."

As only minimal movement is required to play the light beams on the device, it enables those with physical as well as sensory disabilities to fully participate. The highly visual colour beams can easily be triggered to produce notes, chord sequences and samples of any instrument - from a harp to a drum beat, from the voices of the jungle to the waves of the sea.

The Professor Guzè Aquilina Primary School's Special Unit caters for children suffering from serious physical, sensory, emotional and intellectual disabilities. During the past year the HSBC Cares for Children Fund has provided financial support to fully equip the unit's therapy gym. The addition of the OptiMusic device, will further enhance the support provided to the 17 children aged between three and 19 who attend the unit.