Larisa is 12 years old. For some years, she has been involved in home education program of school #40 in Gyumri. The school was far from her home, so she went to school very rarely. Teachers used to come to their home to have lessons and sometimes classmates visited them. When she was still a student of school #40 we had a home visit and interview with the parent, it turned out that the girl’s brother was studying at school # 15 and she was ashamed to go to that same school, feeling bad because of the attitude of her classmates.

Due to our efforts, consultation, home visits carried out in the framework of the project, Larisa’s mother and brother changed their approaches and agreed to take the girl to the nearest school # 15, where she is getting inclusive education instead of home schooling.

Since September Larisa has been regularly attending school participating both in regular classes and multidisciplinary team lessons. At least 4 hours each day she is at school. Larisa has favorite classmates, who are ready to help and support the girl any moment she needs. She is accepted and loved by the teachers, who are happy with her success and achievements.

At 1st of February a beautiful event was organized at school devoted to the Birth of Jesus, where Larisa took the role of Holi Mother. During the event an incident took our attention. When the girl started her speech Index team coordinator began to applaud with great enthusiasm, the she paused immediately and whispered “Wow, I should not have applauded and thus segregate her.

” This is a vivid proof of an inclusive environment created step by step and where all the children are accepted and treated equally. Inclusive values are primary both inside and outside the school.

This is a very important and huge achievement both for Larisa, her family, the school and us on the long way to the overall inclusion.