AeA's Intervention

MPWAB started a project named 'Anubhuti' in Indore district of Madhya Pradesh with Aide et Action's partnership in 2001. The goal of the project is to provide quality education to Visually Challenged Children and develop the academy as a state level resource center for innovative efforts in the field of education and rehabilitation of Visually Challenged Children.

Location and Coverage

State	District(s)	Blocks/ mandals	Number of villages covered
Madhya Pradesh	Indore	Indore, Deplpur	Depalpur – 173

Objectives

• Build capacities of teachers, parents and other functionaries in assessing, understanding and meeting with the needs of Children with visual impairment

• Provide need based educational services to Children with visual impairment to study in normal or special schools

• Establish a separate resource mobilisation and communication unit to facilitate information and achievements of Children with visual impairments to public and supporters at large

• Provide best possible livelihood options for visually challenged youths and link them with employment and self employment opportunities

• Community's and parents' empowerment and participation in development process of Children with visual impairments

• Link with other NGO's / INGO's to facilitate education process with better quality and at par with the mainstream education system

• Involvement of information technology in the education of visually challenged children (VCC) and link them with other like minded agencies

Major Accomplishments

• Development of Helen Keller Academy as one of the best special schools and resource centers in the region

• Science and mathematics including computer education made accessible to VCCs and LVCs

• Promotion of services for Low Vision Children and eye care services in the community and in special schools

• Enrolment of Children with visual impairment in normal schools of Sanwer, Tonkkurd and Depalpur blocks

• Capacity building programmes of teachers recognized by Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University and Rehabilitation Council of India

• Established a two year physiotherapy technician course prepared by PSSCIVE, Bhopal

• Local sponsors started extending their support for major needs of the Academy

• Received National Award for best institute supporting Children with visual impairment by Government of India (Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment)

Specific to 2005 

• All the students of the Academy passed 10th Board Exams in first class 

• Assessment and certification of Children with visual impairment in Sanwer and Depalpur block

• Linkages with programs of Dept. of Social Justice and Empowerment, M. P

• Government

• Physiotherapy technician trained from unit has been absorbed in Bombay Hospital and Geeta Bhawan Hospital

Main Activities for 2006

Quality Education

• Continuation of education to Children with visual impairment in Helen Keller Academy covering science and mathematics as compulsory subjects along with computer education and promotion of the same with other NGOs in the region

• Organizing effective capacity building programmes for other NGOs and existing staff

• Strengthening subject wise teaching to promote higher education and linkage with livelihood courses

• Provision of more educational aids and teaching learning materials in coordination with government programs like Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and other NGOs and ADIP scheme of Government of India etc

• More collaboration with government and other organisations to promote quality education for children with visual impairment addressing Helen Keller Academy as resource model and hub of activities

Success Stories

Arjun Choudhary is a student of HKA of class 9th he is 16 years old and belongs to a poor family. His father Mr. Nirbhay singh has no proper source of income his mother is a simple lady. He lives at a small village Hatod 15 K.m. from Indore. Before AeA's intervention there were no specific facilities for low vision children. Low Vision Children were treated as completely Visually Impaired children. With AeA's intervention a low vision care center was established in the academy and Arjun received special attention from the beginning. Four years back Arjun` was a very naughty and careless child, he had no interest in studies and was often punished by his teachers.

Arjun has been treated as a Low Vision Child and is continuously motivated and trained to use his residual vision with the help of optical aids in his studies and in his daily life. It has brought about a surPanchayat Raj Institutionsing change in his attitude. Vision stimulation was provided to him and then he has learnt reading and writing like sighted children. Colorful educational material are being used by which children can be inspired to use their vision and identify the objects easily. Modern technical instruments like magnifiers, Vision Stimulation Equipments and Low Vision Equipments are very helpful for the children of Low Vision in their studies.

C.C. T.V. [Close Circuit TV], Magic Magnification Software, Large print books are also available in academy for Low Vision Children. Arjun is able to read large print books and he is able to write alphabets. He is good in drawing and very hard working. He spends most of the time in Computer Unit and Low Vision Care Center of academy where he is motivated to spend more and more time on IT Tools and see various colorful objects, toys, books etc. He does not feel unfamiliar among sighted children because he also has exposure to various objects, alphabets etc. With the help of low vision aids now he can easily read and write. He has improved his Braille efficiency in reading and writing. He takes great interest in craft work and makes beautiful envelops, Rakhis, cushions of jute etc. His extra ordinary achievement is his computer skills, he has a lot of interest in computers. He can do painting, letter writing and power point presentations. He can ride a bicycle. His favourite festival is Dipawali. His future ambition is to be a computer operator. He is inspired by the Academic staff to improve himself. His parents are happy to see the progress in their child and they are confident that Arjun will one day become a responsible and independent adult.