Disability

The first intervention was initiated in 2007 in Ahmedabad, as a response to community demand for a space for children and young adults with special needs. Samerth opened a daycare centre – ‘Samerth Talim Kendra’ to cater to the needs of children and young adults with disability from the slums of Vejalpur, Sarkhej & Makarba area with a population of close to four lakh people consisting mainlyof daily wagers or micro-entrepreneurs. It is estimated that there are 8000people with disabilities living in this area, with no specialized facility catering to them in a radius of 18kms.

In 2016 a vocational centre was initiated for young adults with special needs. Currently, we are reaching out to 92 children & young adults with a disability with a vocational centre reaching out to 24 adults and their family members. The centre follows a customized plan for each child including physiotherapy, speech therapy, sensory therapy and even counselling by a trained psychologist. The children are grouped according to their assessed levels with a special focus on different life skills sets. Most children coming to the centre suffer from varying forms of disability, ranging from children with intellectual disability, down syndrome, autism, Cerebral Palsy, hearing and visual impairment and those with decampment delay. Most of whom have come to the centre as young children have now graduated to the vocational centre and have become financially independent to an extent. In the last 15 years the program has reached more than 350 children and adults with disability out of which more than 42 have been able to access mainstream schools or jobs post their stint at the Samerth centre.

The very immersive experience in Ahmedabad helped us built a broader more systemic intervention in Chhattisgarh for people with disabilities. The Chhattisgarh state programme on disability is operating in two districts. It aims at helping them in accessing their rights and to economically empower and increase their participation in mainstream development. The Chhattisgarh programme has been able to reach 3798 PwDs (Persons with Disabilities) and 122 self-help groups have been formed for their economic empowerment. The programme strengthens persons with disabilities by mobilizing them through DPOs (Disabled People’s Organisation) and empower them to access their rights especially under the RPwD Act, 2016. Samerth has been able to facilitate and mobilise 3255 Persons with Disability (PWDs) to become members of DPOs. They have been linked with NRLM (National Rural Livelihood Mission) and have also been involved in livelihood activities and trade-based training for jewellery making, mushroom cultivation, making incense sticks etc. This has ensured financial independence to an extent and inclusion in mainstream society. In Chhattisgarh state, advocacy is one of the major parts of the social inclusion programme. This is focused on lobbying for policy change in the favour of PwDs.