In my two decades of professional experience, I’ve often strived to turn seemingly unreachable dreams into reality. One memorable instance from earlier in my career, back in 2012, stands out. While working with Pratham Education Initiatives, I led a significant survey in two major Mumbai slum areas – Dharavi and Bainganwadi. Our goal was to identify the number of children with disabilities and their lack of access to necessary care facilities.
Realising the urgent need, I quickly set up screening camps for these children and collaborated with Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in Maharashtra to help them obtain Disability Certifications. Focusing our efforts, we concentrated on assisting children with Cerebral Palsy, partnering with the IPOD Foundation. This collaboration enabled us to offer free surgeries to 24 children. Alongside this, I was involved in fundraising efforts to establish centers for physiotherapy, speech, and occupational therapy in Bainganwadi.
Community involvement was crucial, so we also worked on raising awareness and providing support to parents. For this, we partnered with Dr. Samir Dalwai’s New Horizons Child Development Center and the Trinayani Foundation.
We encountered numerous challenges. Families in these low-income communities, often struggling themselves, found it hard to provide adequate care for their children with disabilities. The combination of limited time, financial constraints, and lack of education, compounded by societal stigma, led to these children being marginalised. This exclusion affected their morale and aspirations, and they struggled to engage in communal activities. Recognising this, we aimed to offer the added support and guidance these families desperately needed for their children’s special needs.
