Title of the Project: Day Care Centre Support for the Disabled & Cerebral Palsy Children in the Districts of South 24 Parganas

Background of the Project:
The main aim of the project is to give an opportunity to the physically challenged children, who do not have access to medical treatment and education. According to UN declaration on child right, says, The child is entitled to receive activities of daily learning which shall be free and compulsory at least in elementary stages. He shall be given an education which will promote his general culture and enable him, on a basis of equal opportunity, to develop his abilities his individual judgments, and his sense of moral and social responsibility, and to become a useful member of society.

The UN declaration of the right of the child, The child shall enjoy special protection, and shall be given opportunities and facilities, by law and by other means, to enable him/her to develop physically, mentally, morally, spiritually and socially in a healthy and normal manner and in conditions of freedom and dignity. In the enactment of laws for this purpose, the best interests of the child shall be the Para-mount consideration.
Over 90% of disable Children are illiterate due to poverty in the proposed operational area. Children at home are helpless. They are deprived of adequate facilities for their education, healthcare and other basic provisions that are needed for their normal growth. Guardian and relatives are unable to shoulder the burden of upbringing these children due to poverty don’t provide adequate support to these children to lead a normal school life. Lack of funds hinders the ability of mothers to procure supplementary food or quality health care to their children. In some cases it leads to an extent of hunger, starvation, ill health and finally death.
So, the intervention aims to provide physiotherapy and special teaching of learning daily activities to their mothers for special care, refreshment including travelling expenses to improve physical fitness of disable & CP children from poor families. The targeted children will come to the centre twice in a week and the rest of the day (3 days in week)project outreach worker will visit their home to monitor and aware the families about the take care of their children. Children will also get support for their education as per their level and age. Children who will become able to  go to formal school they will be admitted in the formal schools and others will get education either at day care centre or in special schools. The project also aimed at developing a strong network for providing assistance to the disabled children and their families. The network will help in getting referral services from government & other hospitals ,concerned government departments, schools and other stakeholder so that the children can get benefit  for which they are entitled .

Objective:
To contribute to the enjoyment of disabled children in the districts of South 24 Parganas of a full and decent life, in conditions which ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate the child’s active participation in the community according to the Art 23 of the CRC

Project Location  : Blocks:10 Blocks (Joynagar 1 & 2, Baruipur, Canning 1 & 2, Magrahat1, Bishnupur 1 and Mandirbazar.
Total staff : Project Coordinator: 1, Physiotherapy: 1 & Animators: 2
Beneficiaries: 70 cerebral Palsy and disable children

Activities

• Appropriate physiotherapy, exercise and medication provided to the each 70 special children (50 registered & 20 others new children)  with necessary daily learning activities during the clinic days; twice in a week on Tuesday and Friday
• The healthy diet along with transportation cost provided to the beneficiaries so that the children come to the centre without break.
• The children are practicing Matching games, color matching, concept of English and Bengali alphabet, slate pencil, counting bits, shape and puzzled with the playing materials for the development of the mind and nerves. The special children are becoming more active gradually

Achievements:

• The number of children at the Day Care Centre is increasing.
• 50% of the children has improved their Physical and mental fitness with the physiotherapy, medication and games.
• 70% of mothers practicing physical exercise and daily learning activities at home.
• 75% mothers of the DCC children follow the counseling properly for the physical and mental improvement of their children.
• They have adopted good personal hygiene and special exercise at home for the betterment of their children.
• 15 children access orthopedic appliances from other NGOs like RCFC, Mahavir Society etc.
• Most of the children have access Government facilities and schemes for the person with disabilities.
• The mothers are Practicing Daily Learning Activities at home regularly.
• The mothers follow the counseling properly and they are going to hospital for medical checkup.
• 70% of the children received disability certificate and Identity Card from Govt and others are under process.
• 80% children have access to the government scheme. The children link with Government office.