OUR WORK
Cheshire Homes India Coorg, has been working with people with disabilities from low income groups from the year 2000, with the aim of helping them to join the mainstream of society with dignity. CHIC started with 6 children with intellectual disabilities and then extended its support to 68 students at the Centre and more than 950 people with disabilities and their families in 38 villages through its Community Based Rehabilitation programme.
PRESENT DAY ACTIVITIES
The DAY CENTRE
Provides special educational support and functional academics to children with disabilities in Kodagu. Children are provided with preparatory support and included in mainstream schools wherever possible. Various therapeutic activities such as yoga, drama, art, craft and sport are taught. Based on their disabilities, specific therapy and training are also provided. For example, visually impaired children are taught Braille, mobility & orientation training. Transportation for these children is provided free of charge.
SAHAYA VOCATIONAL CENTRE
Provides 23 students, pre-vocational and vocational training in a sheltered workshop mode. Here products like phenyl and liquid soap are manufactured for institutions and orders are taken for tailored, embroidered, knitted, crochet and paper products. There are also 2 Recycling initiatives that are currently in progress as a part of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). The Hand Made Paper unit recycles paper and cloth. Handloom Unit weaves single use plastic from the waste collected from in and around the campus.
PAST ACTIVITIES
Sukh Shanti Project
The Community Based Rehabilitation projects which were implemented for 8 years. The main focus areas were inclusive Education, economic empowerment, advocacy, health & rehabilitation. One programme was by JOAC –UK, from 2003 – 2006 and the other by the Big Lottery Fund -UK – from April 2006 to 2011. It was recognized by United Nations as “Best Practices for including persons with Disabilities in all aspects of development efforts”–publication-April 2011 in ASIA
HUMAN DIGNITY FOUNDATION PROJECT
The main objective of the project funded by the Human Dignity Foundation was to facilitate refurbishment and construction work at CHIC, to provide a range of rehabilitation, educational and vocational training services to children and young adults with disabilities, and develop local human resources and expertise within the district.