Community Based Rehabilitations

In 2002, this organization initiated CBR programme in six Panchayats of Idukki District of Kerala for addressing the needs and issues of 2066 PWDs identified from the Panchayats. Gradually the programme was expanded to 18 Panchayats in the district. Also, VOSARD has been successful in bringing eight district level Disabled Person’s Organizations under an umbrella of state level network. The initiatives taken by VOSARD to address the issues and needs of PWDs during last 19 years could bring in positive changes in the lives of differently-abled persons and their families. Organizing PWDs in to self help groups and linkage of the groups with PRIs/ Govt. schemes/ financial institutions/ private agencies is a remarkable step taken by VOSARD for capacity building and sustainability of the members and groups. The organization also initiated steps for constituting a District Local Level Committee (LLC) of National Trust, distribution of Guardianship Certificate and introducing Niramaya Insurance scheme for the first time in the district. Many NGOs have visited the ‘VOSARD model CBR programme’ and this organization has facilitated them to replicate the program in their respective operational areas.

  • Strengthening of State level network of DPOs:
    Eight Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs) functioning in eight districts of Kerala were directed to form a state level network named as ‘Kerala Confederation of Differently Abled (KCDA)’ and thee network was registered under society’s act. 13480 Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) are members of the network organized at various levels viz. 941 Village level DPOs (VDPOs), 152 Panchayat level DPOs (PDPOs) and seven District level DPOs (DDPOs). The CBR Coordinator made periodical visits and conducted capacity building activities for proper functioning of the DPOs at various levels with the support of CBR Forum, Bangalore. Joint meetings, leadership trainings, exposure visits, advocacy, networking and linkages to facilitate accessing of government schemes, etc were also conducted.

  • Outreach rehabilitation services to children with disabilities:

    Every year number of 250 children are assisted under this project. Rehabilitation services to 235 children with various types of disabilities were planned and executed during the year with CHAI-LF support. Rupees one million granted by the supporting agency and an equal amount mobilized locally were utilized to address various needs of the children. Major interventions made under health, education, livelihood and social inclusion domains are:

    • Medical Screenings

    • School enrolment

    • Career guidance Seminars

    • Skill training to youth

    • Livelihood support

    • Formation of SHGs

    • Leadership training to DPO leaders

    • Caregivers training given to parents of severely disabled children

    • Distribution of Aids & appliances

    • Correction surgery

  • Community Mental Health Promotion:

Community Mental Health promotion program is being implemented along with the CBR programme. The program provides need based services to the Persons with Mental Illness (PwMIs), who are lacking regular medicine, care and other rehabilitation support. Efforts are made to capacitate and facilitate the affected persons and their caregivers for accessing medicines and other rehabilitation services from various sources. Identifying the cases of mental illness, directing them to regular medication, inclusion of Persons with Mental Illness (PwMI) and their caregivers into SHGs, livelihood promotion, training for care givers, sensitization programs to reduce social stigma, linkage with District Mental Health Programme of the government, etc are the main components of the programme. 426 persons with mental illness have been benefited from the programme so far.

  • Good practices

  • Formation of three tier system of Disabled Persons’ Organizations: Around 1,500 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) from six Panchyats have been organized into 100 self help groups, six Panchayat Level Federations and an Apex Federation. This system is helpful in coordinating the CBR activities in the entire project area.

  • Accessing PRI schemes and benefits: When we started the CBR programme PWDs were unaware of their rights and the types of schemes/ benefits available for them from various agencies. During the last six years we could educate the PWDs on their rights and privileges. Nearly 200 leaders from the sanghas have been identified and capacitated them with leadership training for directing their groups to tap locally available resources. Now they are able to demand and utilize 3% fund allocation from the PRIs. In many Panchayats leaders from the disabled’s groups have been included in the planning and implementation committee of the Panchayats.

  • Availing schemes from Kerala State Handicapped Persons Welfare Corporation: VOSARD could facilitate 68 groups of the disabled to get Rs. 5000/- each as subsidy for formation and strengthening of their groups.

  • Formation of LLC and distribution of Guardianship Certificates & Niramaya Health Insurance: With our initiative a Local Level Committee (LLC) under National Trust was formed in Idukki District, in which VOSARD is the NGO member. LLC is the authority to provide guardianship certificate to the parents/ caretakers of disabled children. Disabled people are also arranged Niramaya Helath Insurance Scheme of National Trust for availing free medical treatment.

  • Impacts
  • Awareness creation among persons with disabilities and their families about their rights.
  • Change of the community’s attitude towards PWDs e.g. the reduction of social stigmata. The community itself has come forward and supports the PWDs with money, kindness and services.
  • Social security schemes from Panchayat Raj institutions, health departments and all other governmental/NGO departments are accessible to a maximum number of PWDs.
  • DPOs have been formed on SHG, Panchayat and District level to come up to advocate for their rights.
  • Panchayat Raj institutions and other government departments invite PWDs into the decision making process.
  • Inclusice education increases in the project area.
  • Self emplyment among PWDs increases in the area.
  • JAF: Jeevajyothi Apex Federation

JAF (Jevvajyothi Apex Federation) is an association working under VOSARD, for the progress and growth of the differently abled people in Idukki District. This association is registered under society act 1860 (reg. No: I-790/2007). The main aim of this Federation is to ensure equal opportunity, equal participation and equal status for the differently abled people in the Society. Formation of Differently Abled Person’s Organisations (DPOs), Ordinary SHGs, activities for the protection and security of the mentally ill, SHGs for the caregivers of differently abled children, Medical Camps, Supplement of Aids and Appliances, Aid for Surgeries and medications are done under the leadership of JAF. JAF in cooperation with other allied systems work for the upliftment of person with disabilities, in areas of health, education, livelihood and empowerment.

  • KCDA: Kerala  Conederation OF Differently Abled

KCDA is an independent organisation established and nurtured by VOSARD. The area of operation is throughout Kerala. At present it is working in eight districts of Kerala and confederation of eight differently abled person’s organisation.

Vision

“An inclusive Society with no discrimination where every disabled person exercises his/her right to a life of dignity on an equal basis with others”

Mission

“Working towards persons with disabilities in order to end injustice by ensuring equity, equality of opportunities and effective participation in all spheres and at all levels of Society”.

Values

The core values of the Society shall be “Honesty, Transparency, and accountability, mutual respect to human rights, equality and justice, democratic and participatory processes, respect for diversity, gender equity and justice.

  • Register No. IDK/TC/34/2015

  • Date of formation: 8-11-2014

  • Email ID: kcda2015@gmail.com

  • Face book: KCDA2015

  • Total SHGs: 941

Success Story #1:Aleena makes a comeback to lead a normal life

“I am very thankful to God for giving me my little angel. She won’t be like other children, but she is Special” these words are from a mother who always believes in the abilities more than disabilities of her child Aleena.  Aleena, 7 year old CP child is the younger daughter of a family that resides at Pezhumkandam area of Kanchiyar panchayat in Idukki district of Kerala.  The family belongs to a lower Socio- economic stratum. Her father Mr. Binoy, a potter, is the only earning member of the family, while the mother always stays in the home for looking after the child. Her mother Asha remembers that the pregnancy period was quit fine and there were no problems felt during the time.  The child as well as the mother was fine during the delivery time.  Up to the age of one, Aleena was also normal like any other children. All her developments were normal and even she tried to walk. But, all of the sudden it happened. When she was a year old, she suffered from fever and cough. The parent took her to hospital and was admitted there. Even though they provided enough treatments, her condition was not improving. The doctors mentioned that she had seizures during fever and it caused damage to the brain.  This damage later reflects as cerebral palsy.  

The parents said that it was the most difficult time they had passed through in their life. The agony was that their baby trying to stand on her legs some time before was lying on the floor without much reaction after falling in sick.  They took the child to different doctors for better treatments.  The parents always believed that their daughter will return into a normal life. Later, the parents noticed that the child is showing some positive signs of treatments.  Slowly, the child tried to react to the words of parents.  She also showed progress in her body movement. The parents were happy at the improvement of the child. It was during that time the CBR Workers of VOSARD identified the child and brought her to a medical camp conducted by VOSARD.  The doctor who is an expert in disability rehabilitation examined the child, and recommended a reclining chair and different therapies.  The parents started physiotherapy and speech therapy as suggested by the doctor. Even though the family had financial crisis, they never stopped the therapies.  After some time they noticed improvement in the child.  The child started uttering unclear words.   However, the parents mentioned -“it was one of the happiest moments in our life”. As suggested by the doctor, VOSARD also provided financial assistance for physiotherapy (Rs. 4,000/-) and Reclining chair (Rs. 14,000/-) in 2016.  

At the age of five, condition of the child improved far better. The Recycling chair helped her to correct her posture. The therapies helped to improve her body movements and speech. Now, the child can react to the comments from everyone. She tries to hold different things.  During 2017 also the parents were given CHAI-LF assistance of Rs. 4,000/- to continue speech therapy and physiotherapy.   Besides, VOSARD directed the parents to apply for disability pension to the child.  Now, they are getting Rs. 1,100/- per month as disability pension and it helped them to provide special care to the child.  They were also facilitated to enroll the child at Assissi Special School, Vellayamkudy for education and physiotherapy services.  The child was also directed to Block Resource Centre (BRC), Kattappana for home based education and physiotherapy.  The parents were also facilitated to avail physiotherapy services from Government Medical College Hospital, Idukki. They take the child to Medical College on every alternative day for physiotherapy.  

Aleena is now on the way back to her normal life.  During the last two years, she has shown considerable changes in her behavior.  Her parents are happy to see that “Aleena makes a comeback to lead a normal life like everyone.”

Success Story #2:Despite disability Achu Prasad thinks high

“Achu Prasad, a 10 year old boy belongs to a low economic stratum family where both the parents are daily wagers. His mother Sindhu spends most of her time with the child.  Achu is the first child of the family. He has two younger sisters.  Sindhu narrates that the pregnancy period was normal.  After the delivery the first two days of Achu in this world was normal like any other children. From the third day onwards he hesitated to consume the breast milk. The doctors shifted the child to ICU. After a treatment of 3 days the child was shifted to ESI hospital at Kottayam. Achu was admitted there for a month as part of the treatment. The doctor said there was no hope to save the child. Even though we save him, he will be severely disabled and paralyzed. “It was really the hard time in my life.  Gradually, by the grace of God, Achu came into the normal life”– Achu’s mother remembers. There were some developmental delays during the period. He only started to walk after the age of three. We noticed that Achu was walking on his toe. He never pressed his heels on the ground. 

  It was during that time Sindhu heard about the disability medical camp organized by VOSARD.  The parents bought Achu to the medical camp. The doctor examined him and diagnosed his disability as ‘Cerebral Palsy involving both lower limbs and Right upper limb.  There was severe deforming (R) lower limb on ankle and foot  and also ((L) food and ankle.  The child was suggested to wear special shoes for the time being and correction surgery on both the feet could be done later.  VOSARD arranged for a pair of special shoes and Achu started using them.  Later, Achu was facilitated to get admitted in to a normal school. 

“Up to the age of 7 Achu has to continue medication for his disability”- says Sindhu. Financially we were struggling hard.  The educational expense of other children and the treatment cost push us under a huge debt.  In 2016, the child was included in the CHAI-LF project and supported the family with Rs. 7000/- for his inclusive education. Last year the family was supported to conduct surgery on (R) ankle and foot.  The surgery cost was around Rs. 50,000 and the amount was mobilized from CHAI-LF project and local benefactors.  In addition the child was also assisted with a walker and a pair of special shoes. 

Now, Achu can walk with the help of walker. He is trying to walk without the help of walker. With the help of Physiotherapy the child is getting better. Achu is a student of fifth grade in St. Mary’s Hr. Sec. School, Vazhavara. “He is good in his studies. He always likes to go to school. I’m very thankful to God and the other ones who supported our child”- Says Sindhu.  Achu is now eagerly waiting to continue his schooling.”