Disability

Rekha Kumari is not just another girl inflicted with polio since age 2. This 22-year-old daughter of a watchman in Delhi is the key campaigner of "World We Want", an initiative that calls for equal rights and opportunities for children living with disabilities across the globe. She also led the 11-member team of children that took the "children's manifesto" to the UN General Assembly last year. Meet the brave young woman with the never-say-die spirit!

SmartCane is one of the best examples of classroom teaching transformed into practical application. This product not only benefits a large section of the society - the blind population, but also shows the power of research and technology in bridging divides and enabling independence. Conceptualized in IIT Delhi, read how this product mobilised global resources and expertise to come into being!

Two ladies from the US, living in India, connect on a social networking website and start a not-for-profit organization aimed at improving lives of children with special needs through yoga. Read about the journey of Sowmya Ayyar and Madeleine Sears, the instrumental forces behind Prafull Oorja.

It’s been some time since we consciously sensitized ourselves by replacing the word ‘disability’ with ‘differently abled’ and ‘challenged’. Now, here we have someone who has dared to replace ‘mental disability’ with ‘employability’ – Madhumita Puri, Founder of Society for Child Development. It’s indeed an endeavour that has hearteningly pushed the boundaries of limitation to claim new territories.

We have all been complaining of India team's dismal performance in Cricket for quite some time now. But how many of us are aware that we are the winners of the previous World Cup in the world of Blind Cricket? Let's open our eyes and hearts to our visually impaired superstars and give them the credit, support and respect they deserve!

Delhi Council for Child Welfare is a Non-Governmental Organization established in 1952. The Council first started its work among children who had been displaced, lost or abandoned in the riots surrounding the Partition of India, providing them care. Today, these services reach over 3000 children daily and are provided virtually free of cost to them.

A childish mistake, a "dare" at the age of 5, left him bereft of all his limbs. For 10 years after that, Raja was not allowed to step out of his house. Now, he not only goes to work everyday, but earns well, lives on his own and is completely self-reliant. Once a grateful recipient of a scholarship that helped him complete his studies in Finance and MBA, he is now a giver of scholarships and also participates in policy making. Can anything better illustrate the impact made by persons with disability if given half a chance in our society?

A new program in Chennai is enabling differently-abled children and children with special needs to experience the joys of music, dance and other art forms in a comfortable and non-invasive environment. With performances from stellar artists, this organization aims at including these children in the cultural space that is largely denied to them due to their peculiarities, and allowing them to immerse themselves in the therapeutic effects of creative arts.

Many a times, the physically and intellectually challenged get some help and guidance when they are children, but once they reach a certain age and are asked to leave the schools, they find themselves on their own with no life skills and no direction. This is where DIYA comes in - to lend a helping hand to differently-abled adults and ensure that they live a life of dignity.

In the latest 'Half Story' by Tata Capital, we visit Koshish School for the Deaf in Mumbai and can contribute towards buying a camera for the kids so they can learn photography as an alternative means of communication and a viable career option.