From modest beginnings in 1987 with just 2 children in a one room set up Shishu Sarothi has come a long way to be considered as one of the foremost centers for children and persons with disabilities. Located on land allotted by Govt of Assam, recognized and registered with appropriate authorities, the services have expanded over the last three decades, to reach thousands of children and persons wi
th disabilities from Assam and other states of NE India and even beyond. The work cuts across the domains of health, education as well as advocacy and awareness creation. It has widened to cover persons with different disabilities and their needs across the life span, and strides the twin tracks of service delivery and rights realization. Vision:
An inclusive world where all people with disabilities - children, women and men - enjoy all human rights and fundamental freedoms on an equal basis with others, and are respected for their inherent dignity, and valued as a part of the human diversity and humanity. Mission:
To uphold and advocate for the rights of children and persons with disabilities, ensure equal opportunities, promote their inclusion and full participation in a non-discriminating barrier free society. Values:
Shishu Sarothi holds and believes in the values of equality, sensitivity, accountability and commitment. What we do:
Health:
The Early Intervention services provides intensive infant stimulation, therapeutic support, counselling and home management programs to families of children with disabilities, many of whom are very young (0-2 years) and include neonates and high risk babies, who are increasingly referred by the medical fraternity. This service is offered from Shishu Sarothi’s premises in Guwahati, at the Composite Regional Centre in Guwahati, through weekly outreach programs at Goalpara. A fortnightly outreach program extends this service at the District Early Intervention Centre in Golaghat and a recent expansion was initiated at the OPD of the Paediatrics Department of the Assam Medical College Hospital in Dibrugarh. An average of at least 700 children avail of this service annually. We continue to follow up with the children enrolled in this service regularly and have enabled many children to achieve delayed milestones and better the quality of their lives. Education:
We believe that education encompasses not mere literacy, but an ability to cope with different aspects of life, live independently and holistic development of each child. We prepare children with disabilities for mainstream education through our reverse inclusive playgroup and other units; we offer individualized special education and appropriate need based therapies to tap the fullest learning potential and improve the quality of life of all children irrespective of the severity and extent of disability. An equipped ICT Lab offers training in computers and computer aided education, to children with disabilities from the Centre and outside. A vocational training section has also been set up to train young adults with developmental disabilities in paper crafts, costume jewelry and greeting card production. Parallel inputs in life skills are also being offered to the trainees, who receive a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the products. A recent addition of teaching of Yoga as a therapy has had very good outcomes .The Centre currently has 130 children who are enrolled in the different sections and is a resource center on inclusive education. Training:
We also impart training to create a cadre of trained professionals to work in the area of special and inclusive education through formal recognized Diploma courses and customized trainings and workshops. We work closely with different stakeholders to promote and ensure access to education for children with disabilities. This includes work on the Regional Action for Inclusive Education (RAISE- NE) project collaboration with 15 NGOs across 5 states to pilot a program in 75 SSA schools across NE India to improve the quality of inclusive education. We also implement a scholarship program to encourage students with disabilities to pursue higher education with the CSR support of Indus Towers. The SPARSH program for the Deafblind and Multi-sensory impaired (MSI) persons that operates with a life span approach for screening, detection, interventions in orientation and mobility, medical and nutritional support, educational inputs and enabling access to assistive devices, government schemes and programs. Currently around 30 persons with Deaf-Blindness and MSI from 2 districts are being reached by this program that has been upgraded into a Regional Training Centre on Deafblindness for NE India. Awareness and Advocacy:
Recognizing that awareness is the first step towards empowerment our Disability Law Unit is a unique service initiated in response to a felt need for awareness and advocacy to protect and uphold rights of persons with disabilities as guaranteed by law. The unit regularly conducts awareness programs at various levels for all stakeholders from rights holders to duty bearers. It has reached out to more than 50,000 stakeholders through its programs. At least 40-50 pro bono litigation and public interest litigations successfully redressed grievances and violations of rights of persons with disabilities on a range of issues. The DLU-NE has formed a network of over 70 disability related and disabled people's organizations (DPO) from across the north eastern region to share information and engage in advocacy of disability issues. COVID related activities:
Shishu Sarothi has switched to offering all services across the Health, Education and Awareness & Advocacy domains to the online medium. Additionally, Shishu Sarothi has been distributing rations and hygiene kits to needy families of children and persons with disabilities from time to time. Government recognition:
The Govt. of Assam has recognized Shishu Sarothi’s work and regularly seeks counsel and collaboration on disability related matters.
- Registered as a recognized Institution for Persons with Disabilities with the Social Welfare Department of Govt of Assam
- Tasked by the Social Welfare Department to undertake a large scale Awareness Generation Program across the state in 2019 with a series of programs across different zones and all districts for Govt officials, NGOs, persons with disabilities and other relevant stakeholders.
- Empaneled Access Auditor under the Accessible India Campaign with numerous Access Audits across the region for different organizations including Govt of Assam. Regularly invited to address Accessibility issues and orientation programs for Govt of Assam.
-Member of the Drafting Committee for State Rules for implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 in Assam;
- Invited by Election Dept., Govt of Assam to create awareness about accessible elections, voter registrations across Assam.
-Executive Committee Member of Samagra Shiksha Abhijan in Assam.
-Training and orientations regularly conducted for Government officials at the Assam Administrative Staff College. Shishu Sarothi is registered with National Trust and has been the State Nodal Advisory Centre (SNAC) for Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in the past. It is among the few Rehabilitation Council of India approved Training Institutions to run training programs in special education and has been the Coordinating agency for the RCI Zonal Coordination Committee for NE India. Shishu Sarothi has also been a Study Centre for disability specific training programs in distance mode of the Indira Gandhi National Open University(IGNOU) and the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU). Shishu Sarothi successfully organized a Regional Symposium on “Disability scenario in North East: Status, Challenges & Prospects ” in 2012 with involvement of Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment, and DoNER of Government of India and Minister of Social Welfare, Assam and key stakeholders from region and rest of India, to collectively raise all relevant concerns vis-à-vis the disability sector. Shishu Sarothi is well known as a leading organisation working on disability issues and has received many awards and accolades from the Govt. and corporate organizations. They include:
•National award from Ministry of Social Justice &Empowerment in Best Institution (Additional) category in 2004
•State award for Best Community Service from the Chief Minister of Assam, in 2007
•Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award conferred by Ministry of Women and Child Development, to Mira Kagti, Founder Member and former Director in 2010
•Poorvatra Pradeshi Marwari Yuva Manch Award in 2013
•XIV AIWEFA -Nina Sibal Memorial Award for Outstanding Work for People with Special Needs in 2016
