Udaan Illuminating Lives of Special Children

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Udaan Illuminating Lives of Special Children

Kiran Sharma

A Non Governmental Organization (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group which is organized on a local, national or international level to plug in the gaps left by the government. Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information. Some are organized around specific issues, such as human rights, environment or health. India as a nation still has a large population that is vulnerable in terms of health, education, jobs and opportunities in general. This has also seen a large proliferation of NGOs. By some estimates, India has 3.3 million NGOs or one NGO for every 400 individuals. Out of it 312 NGOs operate in Himachal alone. Himachal This Week has tried to bring to fore the working of genuine NGOs who work for the welfare of masses. This week will find the mention of ‘Udaan, Shimla’ which is working for the welfare of special children.

Unique Initiative Brings Hope for Many Special Kids

The journey of Udaan is a story of invincible spirit and unflinching dedication. It’s about the experience of meeting the needs of children with ‘special needs’ and thus illuminating lives. Udaan, the parents and guardians’ society of mentally challenged children is an organisation committed for the cause of special kids and is running a day care centre, vocational centre and two respite care centres (residential facilities) for such children at Shimla since 2002. The project is one of its kinds in Himachal, which is being run in association with “National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities.” The learning centre (TLC) of Bishop Cotton School, Shimla is also closely associated with Udaan. Initially, Udaan started as a pilot project for one year in Shimla in 2001 at the behest of the National Trust, and was left like an open-ended question with no future. Thereafter, with the exhortation of Mrs Mustafi, the then headmistress of Junior BCS, Udaan initiated as an NGO in 2002. Under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Udaan is also catering to people in Rohru and Kothkai blocks – a day care centre called Astitiva is being run in Rohru. At least 20 children are regularly attending this day care centre. Udaan is also running home-based programmes for bed-ridden special children in Shimla as well as Rohru and Kotkhai blocks, where special educators make frequent home visits. Special education is imparted in day care centres by qualified educators. In vocational centre children get the training of money concept, time concept, making paper bags and candle making skills. These skills enable them to earn their bread and butter. Last year these children sold candles of Rs.90,000 only at Auckland House School. The NGO also takes care of the health of special children and also equips their parents with the tips to tackle such persons at home. Every month a team of Dental doctors visit here for dental check up and advise the parents about oral hygiene. Dr. Sudhir Sharma Head of Neurology Department, IGMC Shimla too visits the school every month and advises the parents of these children about the health and give them the tips of handling such children at home.

 Our NGO is providing services in the public interest, especially to special children. It will continue its efforts to provide services in future also

-Lalita Rana, Chairman, Udaan

 Objectives of NGO

The main objectives of Udaan are:

* To work for the welfare of mentally challenged children

* To create proper infrastructure for their upliftment

* To undertake holistic and sustainable programmes for proper rehabilitation

* To create awareness among masses

What ails children at Udaan?

Children admitted here face conditions like have cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism, down’s syndrome and multiple disability.

Activities at Udaan

Children in the day care centre have been divided into four groups according to their levels of IQ. The four groups comprise playgroup, pre-primary group, primary group and vocational group respectively. The idea of this concept is to make them first learn simple steps and then move on to more complicated steps involved in the skill.

Problems Udaan faces

Though Udaan is keen on providing hostel facilities to many more children belonging to the backward regions of Shimla, due to lack of space it presently can’t afford to house in more children. Lalita Rana, the administrator and one of the founder members of Udaan, and a mother of a differently abled child opines. “We do not want to compromise on the quality of living. We want to give our children the best of standards, so we have to keep many children waiting for such facilities,” said Lalita. Three centres of Udaan, namely the day care centre, the hostel and the vocational centre, are being run at three different places. Lack of consolidated space is one of the problems for Udaan.

Awards and Appreciation

Udaan was established in 2002 and since then this NGO is doing its best for the betterment of the special children in the society. In 2006 for its extraordinary work the NGO was awarded with Himachal Free Award which was presented by Sahitya, Sanskriti evam Jan Kalyan Smiti. Apart from this the NGO organise different types of camps for the free check-up of special children