With a view to assist the many disabled children and adults in rural areas, requiring
rehabilitation services, WORTH has undertaken an Outreach programme consisting of
Rural Rehabilitation Programme, Disability Awareness Campaign, Comprehensive Rehabilitation
Counseling Centre and a Survey Project in its vicinity in the Vellore District of
Tamil Nadu.
WORTH works through the Block Development Officers in implementing this programme
and the community at large has been very supportive. The Disability Awareness Campaign
is aimed at raising awareness of disability issues. In coordination with the District
Disability Rehabilitation Office, WORTH brings together the staff and officials
of different government departments such as Education, Block Development and Nutrition
for an orientation seminar.
The Campaign includes visit to WORTH's rehabilitaion facilities, puppet shows,
street plays and movies on subjects like inclusive education, barrier free environment
and Disability Act. Relevant literature is also distributed. WORTH Trust plans to
extend its Outreach programme to Manikandam Taluk in Tiruchirapalli District where
it operates an industry and training centre. This is in collaboration with other
voluntary organization in that district.
The rapport with the government officials and the bonding among NGOs who participate
in these Awareness campaigns, have resulted in the emergence of a very active Vellore
District Disability Network (VDDN). WORTH has been able to leverage VDDN to good
effect by organising several medical and rehabilitation assessment / assistance
camps in various villages of the district covering even some very remote tribal
areas.
The Comprehensive Rehabilitation Counseling Centre (CRCC) of WORTH is another
aspect of WORTH's Outreach Programme. Apart from serving as a platform for dissemination
of information on the various concessions and benefits available from the government
for PWDs, the CRCC also provides guidance on educational and medical matters. Far
from being a mere dispenser of advice, the CRCC has, in many cases, facilitated
loans, grants and other benefits to those registered in its books, to enable such
people sustain themselves economically by self employment schemes.
The WORTH Outreach team also organizes observances of special programmes like
World Disabled Day, Integrated Children's Day and other functions with a view to
entertaining children and adults with disabilities. These occasions provide opportunities
for highlighting PWDs' talents and create awareness among the public regarding their
capabilities for normal activities. More significantly, these are important stepping
stones for PWDs to acquire a sense of being contributors to the society, not merely
recipients. WORTH is actively involved at present in conducting school survey in
some of the blocks of Vellore district. The purpose is two-fold: to identify children
with disabilities (CWDs) studying in regular schools to monitor the progress of
such CWDs and assist in reducing drop-out rate. While industrial rehabilitation
for PWDs is the credo that drives WORTH, the Trust recognizes that there are several
needy persons scattered in the towns and villages across India leading stifled and
miserable lives on account of their disability - confined largely to their homes
or moving at the most to the market place to seek alms. It is this group of people
that the multidimensional Outreach Programme targets, seeking to deliver the various
facilities and concessions offered by the government through different schemes,
such as free travel in buses and trains, reservation in educational institutions,
scholarships, loans for self-employment, old age pension and distribution of aids
and appliances. Over 10,000 lives have been touched this way by WORTH !
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