Activities of Sirisha Rehabilitation Centre
1st April 2022 — 31st March 2023
SRC carried out several activities during 2022–23 for Children and Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (CAWIDDs), their Parents, Siblings, Families and other Stakeholders. Activities are grouped into Projects, Programmes, and Celebrations.
Five active projects, one life-cycle model
Sirisha Disha cum Vikaas Centre (SDVC)
SRC continued the SDVC for children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities aged 0–18 years covering four disabilities — Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities — as specified under the National Trust Act, following Scheme guidelines issued by the National Trust from time to time.
Under this Project, 30 beneficiaries (15 Male + 15 Female; BPL 29 + 1 APL; ID 11 + 19 MD) received services at Centre, Home and Community matching their abilities, skills, needs and vulnerabilities across Medical, Social, Economic, Environmental, and Living dimensions.
The Centre facilitated School Preparedness and removal of barriers at all levels. Recovery from the post-pandemic period (Covid-19) has been ongoing, with better networking with Schools, Communities, Industries, Establishments and Authorities. This Day Care Centre is guided and supported by the National Trust, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India.
Physiotherapy & early intervention at SDVC
Physiotherapy
Class Room
Physiotherapy Unit
Sirisha Special School (SSS)
In view of the changed environment and service delivery system, 80 Beneficiaries — CAWIDDs [Male (M): 54 & Female (F): 26; 25 on Residential (RC, all Male) & 55 (29 Male & 26 Female) on Day Care (DC)] received benefit in 2022–23. Of 80 CAWIDDs, 79 come under Intellectual Disability (ID) and 1 under Multiple Disabilities (MD), all 80 (100%) belonging to BPL families.
Services included: Assessment and IEP development with focus on Special Education, Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), Physiotherapy, Speech & Communication, Behaviour Modification, Sports & Games, Recreational & Cultural activities, and pre-vocational training. All interventions are participatory with better visibility.
This Project is supported by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India and through organisational contributions from Members, Local Establishments, Individual Donors and Well-Wishers.
Special School class room
Physiotherapy unit at SSS
Sirisha Vocational Training Centre (SVTC)
As part of recovery from the post-pandemic period, SRC continued this Centre with special focus on Skill Development in various vocations. During the year, priority was given to: Surf Making (Bulk), Tailoring (Traditional & Fashion Designing), Plates Making (Meals), Glass Painting, Pot Painting, Greeting Cards, Soft Toys Making, Computers, Gardening, Cooking and others matching the interests and dynamics of Parents/Families.
SRC provided need-based Vocational Training to 31 members (Male: 13 — 42%; Female: 18 — 58%) in the age group of 18 years and above, both at Centre and Home/Community on a Day Care basis (with respite short-stay).
With experience and expertise gained, SRC continued income generation activities with selected trainees at Centre and Home/Community as part of self-employment or group employment (by forming Self Help Groups — SHGs). Trainees were provided opportunities to participate in exhibitions supported by Government and Private agencies for connectivity, networking and marketing of their products.
Vocational Training — tailoring unit
Skills practice at the training centre
Sirisha Home Based Centre (SHBC)
SRC developed this Centre to reach Children with Special Needs in rural villages of Krishna District who could not reach the Centre due to various reasons. The study area covers parts of three mandals — Vuyyuru, Kankipadu, and Thotlavallure. Villages covered include: Vuyyuru; Gandigunta; Ekamur; Peddaairala; Neppalli; Polavennu; Punadipadu; Boddapadu; Kankipadu; and other surrounding villages of Krishna District.
This innovative Project started in April 2018 and successfully completed its Sixth year (April 2018 – March 2024) with better participation of Parents and Communities. During 2023–24, 25 CWIDDs (Male: 18 & Female: 07) received services and supports at home and community.
Services include: ADL training, Behaviour Modification, Physiotherapy, Speech & Communication, Occupational Therapy, Support Devices, Fun & Learning Activities, Academics, Leisure & Recreational Activities, and Aids & Appliances — with active participation of Parents, Siblings, and Family Members.
Asha for Education (Chapter: Kansas City) is partly supporting this Home Based Project. SRC manages the gap through internal resources from local Communities and Donors.
Home-based physiotherapy support
Sirisha Community Based Rehabilitation (SCBR) Centre
In view of UNCRPD 2006 and RPWD Act 2016, SRC prioritised the model of Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) as a "Strategy within the Community Development" with better Access, Participation, and Equality as a Right within an Inclusive Environment.
During the year, 110 CAWIDDs (Male: 48 — 44%; Female: 62 — 56% who have not joined Institutional Services) benefited from services, supports, training, rehabilitation, referrals, and facilitation for better capacities and skills — across 11 villages in two mandals of Vuyyuru and Pamidimukkala of Krishna District.
In addition, Medicine, Health Care, and other supports were extended as majority of the beneficiaries were affected emotionally, medically, economically and socially, resulting in poor quality of life (QOL) with several uncertainties and vulnerabilities of Disability and Disasters.
Old Age Care
Elders are the most vulnerable group — more so in rural villages. SRC initiated Old Age Care Services and ran them during 2022–23 with a capacity of 30 members (Male 14 + Female 16) for Elders (60+ years) living in Veerankilock and surrounding villages of Pamidimukkala Mandal.
Services provided include: Cooked Food (packed and delivered to home daily), two pairs of Cloths, Medical Treatment, supply of Medicine, Referral Services, Masks, Sanitizers, Health Care and other need-based supports. Based on this experience, SRC is planning to start a residential-based Old Age Care in Veerankilock village itself.
Community engagement & capacity building
SRC showed keen interest with concern and commitment for the active and effective participation of Parents, Siblings, Family Members, Community Members, Health Workers, Paramedical Professionals, Social Workers, Teachers (Government and Private Schools), Civil Societies and other Stakeholders, organising various Activities and Programmes throughout 2022–23.
Parents' Meets & Community Meets
Believing that Parents and Communities play a key role in the entire Training cum Rehabilitation process, SRC organised several Meets for Parents, Siblings, Grandparents, Community Members, Doctors, Para-medical Professionals, Health Workers, Social Workers, Anganwadi Workers, Teachers of Normal Schools, and other Stakeholders — typically two to four events per month at Home and Community.
Topics covered at meets:
- Awareness & Advocacy on Safety and Protection (Covid-19 recovery)
- Awareness on Disabilities — Causes, Consequences, Identification, Training & Rehabilitation
- Counseling, Advocacy, Guidance, Motivation and Orientation
- Development of ADLs & Self Help Skills with better Mobility and Access
- Guidance on Children's stay at home and community and plans to move forward
- Demo on identification of behavioural issues and its modification
- Awareness on Early Identification & Interventions (ICDS focus)
- Issues with Communication and Speech Therapy
- Special Education and NIOS support
- Niramaya Health Scheme — guidelines, enrolment and utilisation
- Domestic Skills and working in the Home Environment
- Role of Parents & Siblings in Disability Rehabilitation & Prevention
- Disability Acts, Policies, Schemes & Benefits
- Pre-Vocational Skills
- Sports and Games with reference to Special Olympics
- Leisure, Cultural and Recreational Activities
- Causes of disabilities and Prevention measures (Disability Free Society — DFS)
- Vocational Training, Skill Development and Livelihoods
- Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Income Generation Activities
- Educating Parents regarding summer care for health and learning
- Government and Private benefits: Pension, Aids & Appliances, TLM Kits, Niramaya, UDID, Scholarships, Housing, Education, Employment
- Role of Parents in Disha, Vikaas, Niramaya and other National Trust Schemes
- Employment, Self Employment, Startups and Microentrepreneurships
- Need for Sheltered or Protected Workshops
- Need for Legal Guardianship and Legal Security
- Access Audit and Accessible (Barrier Free) Environments
- Need for Social Audit and acceptance from Stakeholders
- Guidance on "what will happen to the child after us?"
- Need for Life Span Approaches and Care Centers (Short & Long term)
- Monthly / Half Yearly / Annual Meet with Feedback and Suggestions
Building relationships & networks
With priority on meeting larger groups, SRC organised important Celebrations and National Events throughout 2022–23 to build relationships, networks and raise awareness on disabilities, rights and inclusion.
World Autism Day
2022
Independence Day
2022
Teachers Day
2022
International Day of Older Persons
2022
Gandhi Jayanthi
2022
World Cerebral Palsy Day
2022
National Mental Retardation Day
2022
Children's Day
2022
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
2022
Republic Day
2023
SRC Annual Day
2023
International Women's Day
2023
World Down Syndrome Day
2023
Stakeholders, visibility & recognition
SRC created several opportunities and occasions for various Stakeholders — Government, Private, Industries, Corporate, Institutions, Civil Societies, Agencies, Individual Donors, Well Wishers and others — to visit Projects at Centres, Home and Community. Such connectivity and visibility added value to the Services and Supports of SRC with better Acceptance, Participation, and Recognition, and further enabled reaching more Targeted Groups with matching solutions of quality and sustainability.
A change-maker for the most marginalised
"The nature of activities carried out by SRC during the year 2022–2023 are charity based, need based, participatory, visible, accountable, and responsible for the benefit of Children and Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities who are the most marginalised including isolation with living vulnerabilities of rural and urban slums of Krishna and its surrounding districts of Andhra Pradesh."
In addition, SRC has supported the training of Parents, Siblings, Grandparents, Family Members, Community Members, Doctors, Para-medical Professionals, Health Workers, Social Workers, Anganwadi Workers, Teachers of Normal Schools, and other Stakeholders to accept the above targeted beneficiaries with better acceptance, responsibility and accountability, so that an inclusive, equitable, accessible and healthy environment can be created for making disability part of development at all levels.
The activities carried out by SRC since its inception in 2004 are focused on the rural and urban slums of Krishna District with innovation and creativity — spanning a wide service spectrum from Early Identification to Empowerment with multisectoral and multidisciplinary strategies — so that beneficiaries can lead an independent life with dignity and respect, and to create better options (Life Care Facilities) to answer the concern of every parent: "What will happen to the child after us?"
SRC has provided all such services and supports FREE of cost and works on a not-for-profit basis with concern and commitment for helping the beneficiaries to lead an independent living in an Accessible and Inclusive Environment/Community with Dignity and Respect as a Right.