Sense International India

To enable the deafblind person to live a life of self-reliance, Sense International India identifies the right craft in which training is to be provided to the young adult. The training includes training in independent living, communication, soft skills and basic financial literacy. Post the training the individuals are helped by the organisation in setting up small businesses according to the person's inclinations helped by family members. Seed capital is also provided to kick-start the initiative where required.

The organisation is active in the space of advocating for the rights of deafblind people. It tries to educate the community to create a bigger impact and partners with other organisations, strengthening advocacy campaigns besides trying to influence mainstream legislation and policy makers to consider the needs of deafblind persons and include them in such laws. It has successfully managed to include deafblindness under ‘multiple disability’ in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016.

The deafblind children are inducted into mainstream schools enabling them to study in an inclusive environment. This not only boosts the confidence of the specially abled children but also allows them to follow the same curriculum followed by their abled counterparts, with special inputs and adaptions.

With a belief that early intervention and identification of disabilities reduce further complications, Sense International India has placed specialists in the disciplines of paediatrics, special education, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, audiology and speech therapy in partnership with hospitals at their premises. The specialists conduct neo-natal and vision screening checks to identify disabilities and those detected with multi-sensory loss are followed up provided appropriate treatment.

The needs of each child with deafblindness and multiple disabilities are carefully taken into consideration and the organisation plans for appropriate interventions. It provides special education to such children and sees to their development in all the areas of physical, sensory, intellectual, psychological and social functioning. A multidisciplinary team of specialists attend to each child and guides them constantly.

To enable the people with deafblindness/MSI to become active members of society, realizing their rights to education, health, social security and economic independence through provision of need based education and rehabilitation, advocacy, and capacity building of their parents and SSA teachers across 5 States of the Southern region of India by the end of 5 years. This will be accomplished by building on Sense International India’s current work with its Regional Learning Centre (RLC) on Deafblindness for Southern region based in Tamil Nadu and 5 State level learning centres (SLCs) in South India and expand its work into the newly formed state of Telangana. The Regional Learning Centre (RLC) on Deafblindness for Southern region spreading information in five states, supported by four state level programmes (State Learning centres‐ SLC) to deliver Early Intervention, Education, Rehabilitation and Vocational Training services for children and young adults with deafblindness and multi‐sensory impairment (MSI).

The project focusses on identifying children and young adults with deafblindness and multiple disabilities, who are then provided specialised education through home-based, centre-based or community-based models as per their individual needs. Professionals trained by Sense India are supporting education of children and regular trainings are organised for their capacity building of the educators and caregivers for children with deafblindness and multiple disabilities. Parents are trained for providing better services to their children and support them in their daily activities and education to make them more independent.

To enable the people with deafblindness/MSI to become active members of society, realizing their rights to education, health, social security and economic independence through provision of need based education and rehabilitation, advocacy, and capacity building of their parents and SSA teachers across 5 States of the Southern region of India by the end of 5 years. This will be accomplished by building on Sense International India’s current work with its Regional Learning Centre (RLC) on Deafblindness for Southern region based in Tamil Nadu and 5 State level learning centres (SLCs) in South India and expand its work into the newly formed state of Telangana. The Regional Learning Centre (RLC) on Deafblindness for Southern region spreading information in five states, supported by four state level programmes (State Learning centres‐ SLC) to deliver Early Intervention, Education, Rehabilitation and Vocational Training services for children and young adults with deafblindness and multi‐sensory impairment (MSI).

The project focusses on identifying children and young adults with deafblindness and multiple disabilities, who are then provided specialised education through home-based, centre-based or community-based models as per their individual needs. Professionals trained by Sense India are supporting education of children and regular trainings are organised for their capacity building of the educators and caregivers for children with deafblindness and multiple disabilities. Parents are trained for providing better services to their children and support them in their daily activities and education to make them more independent.