Institutions

Spastics Society of Karnataka Assistive Technology Centre

The first comprehensive assistive technology centre that will enable children and adults with any disability to learn, communicate and participate comprehensively in all walks of life will come up in Bangalore by early 2008. The centre is a joint venture of the Spastic Society of Karnataka, PACER Centre and IBM India.

The Spastics Society of Karnataka Assistive Technology Centre for Education and Life Skills Training has been modeled after PACER Centre’s Simon Technology Centre. Assistive technology is specialized hardware or software that is used to help increase, maintain or assist the functional capabilities of people with disabilities, a release said.

Mary Pawlenty, wife of the Governor of Minnesota, USA, Tim Pawlenty, visited the Spastics Society and unveiled the first plaque for the centre. PACER Centre will provide training for the Spastics Society staff. It has solicited corporate donors and assistive technology vendors to contribute technology, financial gifts, and volunteer time to help build and support the centre. IBM has donated the hardware and Accessibility Works software. IBM consultants and volunteers will also help support this centre.

The centre will work towards making the benefits of technology more accessible to children and adults with disabilities. Through a collaborated effort involving parents, professionals and consumers, the centre will provide numerous services such as technology consultations, workshops on technology–related topics, individual training and library facilities.

Source: Helping hand to ensure a full participation, The Hindu, Bangalore, 26 October 2007.

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Manas Education and Vocational Training Centre

At least 56 children with various intellectual disabilities are taking vocational training at a special centre in Orissa’s Koraput to be self–reliant and prove wrong those who doubted their potential. At the Manas Education and Vocational Training Centre for the Mentally disabled people, operated under the aegis of Koraput district administration since 2001, training is imparted to children between 6 to 18 years of age.

Dinabandhu Daria, a student at the institute, had joined Manas in 2002. He went on to win a gold medal in cricket during Special Olympics held in 2006. “People in my village used to call me a mad. My condition improved after visiting this place. I learnt to cricket and went to Mumbai for a cricket match. We played against teams from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia and South Africa. Today, my villagers are very happy to see me. I want to open a tailoring shop,” says he. Today, Dinabandhu not only plays good cricket, but is also good at tailoring. He stitches nearly dozen mosquito nets everyday.

The institute provides an opportunity to students to develop their hobbies besides attending the inmates for their mental and physical disorders. Student can learn stitching, candle making, spices packing, book–binding and other similar works.

Fourteen of the students at Manas, who had a harrowing time in their immediate society, now are earning a handsome amount of money.

“Here we stitch mosquito nets and sell them in markets. I will take it as a vocation. If I was in my village my life would have been ruined,” said Dinesh Sarika, a student.

According to Bidyadhar Paramanik, Principal of Manas Education and Vocational Training Centre for Mentally disabled people, the centre is facing financial constraints.

“We have started this school with the objective of looking after such mentally disabled children who are not usually accepted by the society. We gather these children from different villages and provide them with right health treatment and vocational training so as to make them self–sufficient,” Paramanik said.

“Although much is being done by this institution, it is facing financial constraints. The Centre provides 75 per cent funds for this school. The rest is borne by the district administration. We need at least Rs. 65,000 a year, but we get much less,” he said.

Although funds supply is regular but the money doesn’t suffice in updating the facilities at Manas, he added. Items prepared by the students are marketed by the institution that shares the profit earned with the students.

Source: Mentally disabled children take vocational training in Orissa, Asian News International, http://www.aniin.com 26 October 2007.

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