Inclusive Schooling for Children with Disabilities

Dear Donors, Well Wishers,

Greetings!!

We are delighted to share the progress report of the Inclusive Education Program for Children with Disabilities. We are very happy to share a very impactful story of little Pratham. 

Pratham is a bright little boy with an innocent smile that lights up every room. Born after nine years of his parents’ prayers and hopes, his arrival brought immense joy to the family. His father, a school principal, and his mother, a teacher, dreamed of giving him the best opportunities in life.

For the first few years, everything seemed fine—Pratham ran, played, and met his physical milestones like any other child. However, as time passed, his parents began to notice small differences. He was restless, found it difficult to sit in one place, and his speech came much later than expected. In playschool, while other children played together, Pratham often cried, avoided interactions, and withdrew into his own little world.

His parents were worried and heartbroken. After consultations, they were told that Pratham is on the autism spectrum and would need special education and care. It was a difficult moment for the family, but their love for Pratham gave them the strength to seek help.

That search brought them to the Blind People’s Association’s Inclusive Education Program—a place where Pratham’s journey of transformation began.

When he first joined, it was not easy. Pratham struggled to sit in class, often cried when teachers raised their voices, and showed separation anxiety when his mother stepped out. He resisted routines, avoided group activities, and after lunch, he would pack his bag, eager to go home. Every day was a challenge.

But slowly, with patient guidance, structured therapy, and loving care, Pratham started making progress. He began learning to follow simple routines, engage in activities, and interact with others. Each small step—whether sitting through a short group activity, following classroom instruction, or staying calm during transitions—became a milestone for him and a source of immense joy for his parents. His life is transformed through the structured efforts of each team member.

 The Transformation – Before & After

• Before: Could not stay in class for more than a few minutes, avoided group play, and cried frequently.
• Now: Can sit through planned classroom sessions for longer durations and is gradually joining group activities.
• Before: Showed strong resistance to daily routines and transitions.
• Now: Follows simple classroom routines with gentle guidance and has begun to participate in structured activities.
• Before: Struggled with communication and often withdrew.
• Now: Responds better to teachers, makes eye contact, and is learning to express his needs more clearly.

Today, Pratham’s parents see hope. They dream of the day when their son will join a mainstream school and grow into an independent, confident young boy. The journey is long, but with the right support, it is possible.

We provide free education, rehablitation services to 300+ Children with Disabilities and Multiple Disabilities every day. We request you to continue your generous suppotrt, and also motivate your friends and family members to join this cause. 

We are very grateful to you for your continouing support. 

We wish you a very Happy Diwali in advance. 

When Shivansh came into the world two months early, his tiny body fit snugly in the palms of his parents’ hands. Born at just seven months, he spent the first three months of his life in a neonatal intensive care unit, a fragile fighter under blinking monitors and gentle care.
But the road ahead was tougher than anyone expected. Soon after, his parents received news that no parent is ever prepared for—Shivansh was blind. Undeterred, they sought out the best doctors they could find, travelling to Chennai in the hope of a miracle. Surgery was attempted, and with it, months of anticipation and silent prayers. But the outcome brought heartbreak: there was no improvement in his vision.
Still, his parents did not give up.
By the time Shivansh was six, his parents enrolled him in an Inclusive Early Childhood Education Program. At first, they believed blindness was his only challenge. But over time, they began to see signs that things weren’t progressing the way they had hoped. His speech was delayed. He struggled to understand basic things. After many counselling sessions and conversations with other parents, Shivansh’s mother began to accept something she had resisted for years—her son was living with multiple disabilities.
The early days at the centre were difficult. Shivansh was entirely dependent on his mother. He wore diapers around the clock, played only with his hands, resisted sitting in a classroom chair, and clung to his mother’s physical presence for comfort. He didn’t use his hands for any purposeful activity and couldn’t manage basic self-care tasks.
But slowly, something began to shift.
Through a carefully tailored intervention program and with the unwavering support of his teachers and parents, Shivansh began to engage. He started responding to verbal instructions. He began using his hands to explore his surroundings. Activities like clipping, beading, arranging pegs, and putting grains in a bottle became his small, triumphant victories.
In self-care, too, there was progress. With a bit of help, he could now wear trousers, eat dry snacks on his own, and was learning to use a tongue cleaner. Perhaps most inspiring of all, Shivansh had learned to walk independently using a mobility cane—a powerful symbol of freedom for someone who once feared the world beyond his mother’s arms.
Today, Shivansh can sit in the classroom without his mother for up to an hour and a half. He plays. He smiles. He learns, slowly but surely. His mother watches him with a quiet pride—no longer weighed down by expectations, but lifted by the joy of each small milestone.
Shivansh’s story is not one of impossibility, but of resilience. It’s a testament to a mother’s strength, a family’s hope, and the transformative power of early support and love.

The Blind People's Association provides services to over 150 children with disabilities and multiple disabilities living in rural and remote areas. These children have been equipped with essential skills for independent living and have been successfully prepared for formal education. Many are now enrolled in mainstream schools, where they learn and grow alongside their peers.

We are deeply grateful for your continued support and trust in our work. Your encouragement inspires us to reach the unreached and deliver quality services to children in need.