Sponsorship of children with Deafblindness/MDVI

Deaf-blindness refers to a condition in which people may have a combination of hearing and visual impairments causing severe communication, developmental, and cognitive problems. Deafblindness is a combination of sight and hearing loss that affects a person’s ability to interact, to access all kinds of information, and to move around.

In view of the severe disability, we have made a policy decision to restrict the teacher student ratio to 1:1. Our students are guided by dedicated teachers who are compassionate and highly competent.

We do not receive any government assistance for this project and rely solely on donations from individuals and corporates. Also, our funding requirements include the purpose of providing salaries to the Special Educators of the Deafblind and other therapists due to lack of Government funding.

Teaching the Deaf-blind is a specialized activity and requires great technical skills.

The school is equipped with infrastructure that is essential to diagnose and understand a Deafblind child and conduct therapeutic, communication and educational sessions with them.

With a combination of compassion & love from the teachers, tools and modern techniques they

are able to help our students become self-reliant.

Considering the fact that these students are not self-mobile, we also have hostel facilities with trained and concerned caregivers to look after their daily requirements.

Financial support is also provided to a couple of parents throughout the year in the form of transport money spent on bringing the child for the sessions at our Outreach centres at Byculla & Chembur. Financial assistance for medical intervention is provided as well as needed.

As the Deafblind centre is not supported by the Government, our funding requirements include the purpose of Educational expenses comprising mainly salaries to special educators & therapists, aids & appliances, rehabilitative therapy & medicines and nutrition.

The education for the Deafblind children of Helen Keller Institute for Deaf & Deafblind (HKIDB) is of paramount importance and the sole reason for its existence.

The Census Survey of India doesn't include the number of Deafblind people but according to a survey by Sense International (India), there are approximately 4,00,000 to 5,00,000 Deafblind people in India.

These numbers highlight the importance for the essential services to understand & communicate with this large group of our population to ensure a life of dignity, satisfaction for them & have a truly inclusive society.