This project runs in two locations, namely, Gods Abode, Airoli, and Gods Heavens, Chandivali, Powai… As on January 2024 , there are 31 beneficiaries in Gods Heavens of which 23 are in ECI and 8 in PST. There are 30 beneficiaries in GODS ABODE, Airoli of which 14 are ECI and 16 in PST. Total of 61.
The beneficiaries in the age group of 2 to 11 years with special needs are admitted after a thorough assessment and medical diagnosis (if required).
In case of people with any kind of disability, this becomes difficult due to their disabling conditions. Some of them (physically challenged) may study further, but find it difficult to go out and work; some of them are intellectually impaired and so they can neither achieve higher academics nor find employment outside.
It requires a lot of efforts from our Specialists (Therapists / Teachers / Social worker / Counsellor) to carry out this assessment and also counsel the Parents about the importance of early intervention to put the child on an all-around development scale.
Individual Action Plans are made for each child on admission, for his / her self-help skills, special education like eye hand co-ordination, sitting tolerance and motor skill functions through play therapy communication and language, group therapy and counselling etc… This plan is strictly followed with the help of occupational, physio & speech therapists and special educators.
Life long residential care is provided to those who need it.
Day to day activities like brushing teeth, bathing, dressing, eating food, etc., sitting / standing posture, are taught to them with their parent, which improve with therapy.
Skills such as identifying pictures of fruits, vegetables, animals, birds, places, etc.; naming them and understanding the use in daily life, what they do, etc., How to say their name, school name, home address, greet people, etc., Numbers & alphabets are taught orally with visuals, articles, reading , writing.. Process is slow as per the capacity of the child to cope.
Periodical reviews and meetings with parents are conducted to see the improvements or otherwise, so that any course correction required can be effected immediately.
Yearly review is taken to see their readiness to be promoted- either move to an integrated / inclusive school or special school set up, where they can benefit from the school infrastructure and activities or to our Prevocational Training Unit..
Working on these beneficiaries at an early age helps them to achieve their optimum level of development and they can easily be integrated into the community in education, training, employment, etc. depending on the severity of their disabilities. Otherwise, they lag behind in everything and ultimately become a lifelong burden to the parents.
This also helps the Parents to be more aware of the medical & adaptation needs for these beneficiaries and by providing them timely interventions, improvements can be achieved.
The greatest challenge we find in this project is the regular attendance of these beneficiaries, which depends on their health and the health of any other member of the family, which makes it impossible for the mother to drop or pick them up. So we have arranged a transport which can bring them on a regular basis in Sangharsh nagar, asking the parent to visit us at least once a week for any inputs.
Each & every occasion like national, religious etc. are celebrated with them.. Outings to gardens, picnics, cinema and our own Founders day and other awareness programs help them to find a platform to enjoy and also show their talents…
During the pandemic period, these beneficiaries are the worst affected ones as they are missing out on their therapy, self-help skills training and special education. Even though, teachers and therapists try their best, it is very difficult to work on their attention deficit, concentration, etc., through online. Many times, they simply refuse to look at the mobile.
Some of them, we find, could not arrange a mobile / wifi for the child; through some kind donations, we were able to provide them with mobiles.
Each and every parent is waiting anxiously for normalcy to set in, so that their wards can start attending regular classes.