Rehabilitation Services Reaching to the Remote Districts of Chhattisgarh

The geographic location and ethnic background of the northern part of Chhattisgarh State are the contributing factors towards its underdevelopment. The region is predominantly inhabited by tribes acquiring 78% of the population. Margdarshak Seva Sansthan (MSS) is a registered NGO. Their scope of intervention in the northern part of Chhattisgarh State includes four Districts i.e. Surguja, Surajpur, Koriya and Korba.

It was in 2013 during the fitment program at Vikalp Foundation at Gaya, Bihar, the Director of MSS came to know about the rehabilitation services provided by Mobility India. He discussed with the Rehabilitation team from Mobility India regarding the community activities carried out by MSS for the differently-abled and exhibited keen interest to collaborate with Mobility India to implement rehabilitation services which is unreached in their target area due to geographical isolation.

Mobility India in partnership with MSS for the first time rendered rehabilitation services to the persons with disabilities. The assessment camp was attended by 116 persons with disabilities, 32 of them were prescribed for various types of assistive devices. Later during the fitment camp, the 32 people received 57 assistive devices of various kinds as well as GAIT training. 

Collaborating with Gram Panchayat Shankarpur, South 24 Paraganas, West Bengal for Rehabilitation Service Provision 

The persons with disabilities from Shankarpur, Baruipur situated 75 kilometers away from Kolkata received rehabilitation services. The service was rendered through MIRRC in collaboration with the Gram Panchayat.

At Shankarpur Gram Panchayat a workshop on “disabling conditions and barrier free environment” was organized by MIRRC for Anganwadi and ASHA workers. The participants identified 172 persons with various kinds of disabilities from 11 villages and shared the information with MIRRC.  

Past few months several meetings were held with Gram Pradhan and ICDS supervisor regarding the rehabilitation service provision. Initially three villages i.e. Kanthalberia, East Dadpur and West Dadpur were shortlisted based on the close proximity with the Gram Panchayat. 13 persons attended the assessment camp, of which 15 were in a need of assistive devices. Others needing specialized treatment were referred for the same to hospitals and concerned centers. All the 15 persons were fitted with 25 assistive devices and provided with gait training. They were also instructed on the usage and maintenances of the assistive devices. The anganwadi workers were requested to follow up with the service users.

At the end of the fitment camp Gram Pradhan appreciated the initiatives of MIRRC and its dedicated services to the persons with disabilities. He also mentioned that the panchayat is looking forward for such services in the near future.  

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Case Study of Farheed Pasha

Farheed Pasha is fifteen years old and stays with his grandmother, parents and two brothers in Yarab Nagar slum in Bangalore.

By birth he suffered from Cerebral Palsy (a condition of brain damage) and Quadriplegia (both the upper and lower limbs are affected). Parents could not see any kind of movement in four months old Farheed which made them worried. One of the community staff identified and referred him to Mobility India.

He was started with physiotherapy and strengthening exercises. Though this could improve Farheed’s condition a bit better, he was completely dependent on his mother and grandmother for day to day activities.

Later he was provided a wheelchair to move around his home and to attend school. Last 5 years he is attending Fame India, a special school. His grandmother says “my boy is very intelligent and good at studies. But he is little shy to meet outside people”. He has also undergone vocational training. He operates a mobile phone well and can handle currency notes through counting.

Recently he received a new wheelchair as he outgrew the old one. With a wide smile Farheed expresses “I really like this new wheelchair. I feel comfortable in it”.