Serving people with disability is a decade-old agenda for RDI. The efforts made earlier were dedicated towards ensuring community-based rehabilitation for people with disability. Our learnings were constructive which led to fresh initiatives under SEW (Service, Education, Work) to ensure improvement in quality of life of People with Disability.
Initiatives undertaken till date include creating an enabling environment for most vulnerable children, youth and women with disabilities for their education, health and overall well-being as well as work opportunities. The program was implemented in three area blocks, Doiwala (Dehradun), block Bahadarabad (Haridwar) and block Yamkeshwar (Pauri). The approach is to emphasize grassroots level facilitation of individuals, families and communities towards rehabilitation of people with disability. Provisions are created for direct benefits, trainings and orientations on health, education and income generation services to ensure their inclusive participation in overall development.
Outreach physiotherapy camps are part of the health services offered at the community level. Special initiatives for 68 adolescent girls with disability were undertaken by orienting them on inclusive menstrual hygiene management education through existing RDI resource material developed in Hindi, English, sign language, braille booklet, and audio/videos.
Under the efforts of ensuring good health for all, in collabora-tion with the Himalayan Hospital a clinic has been initiated for assessment, referral and treatment of children with disabilities. So far 64 children have benefitted. 280 people have benefitted from trainings on First Responder. 4 children have received surgical and assistive device support. In education scholarships have been offered to 20 children with disability but who wish to study.
In livelihood, 4 individuals have received seed money to support their income generation activities. Advocacy initiatives are regularly carried out ensuring inclusion of people with disability in various government schemes such as certificate program, and pension. So far in the project 162 people have received certificates of disability; this service shall help them avail Government authorized social welfare benefits.
Dignity of an individual should always be maintained and that is why under the program 34 inclusive water and sanitation facilities have been developed in villages at household level amongst selected beneficiaries. Also the Institute has facilitated 4 individuals who have done exemplary work despite their disabilities.
To address some of immediate rehabilitation needs of People with Disability during pandemic, food supplies, and covid protection kits were distributed to 170 people.
