APCD Mission Reports 2002
Mission Report to India
29 - 31 December 2002
The mission team promoted the APCD project
An APCD mission team participated in the XVI National Conference on Mental Retardation in Calicut, India, from 29 - 31 December 2002 hosted by the National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped (NIMH) and the Association for Welfare of the Handicapped (AWH) in collaboration with Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs). The theme of the annual Conference was Vocational Training and Job Placement; Clients' Satisfaction; and Community-based Rehabilitation Model. The Conference was to raise public awareness on mental retardation, as well as promote activities to develop human resources in the southern part of , and culminate all efforts to effectively mainstream persons with mental disabilities in society. More than 100 NGOs concerned with disabilities participated in this National Conference which is the only one that covers all the states of , a large country, geographically and population wise. There were many presentations on community-based rehabilitation models, practices and research. Indiais one of the leading countries on community-based rehabilitation for persons with mental disabilities.
Mrs. Aloka Guha, Chairperson of the National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities, under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, is a powerful national leader promoting an awareness campaign, as well as humanity development for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Dr.Kunh Ahamed Kutty, President, Association for Welfare of the Handicapped (AWH) operates a school for inclusive education for children with disabilities, training schools, counseling centers, community-based rehabilitation, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs mainly based in Kerala, India.The AWH promoted disability awareness campaigns in the community simultaneously with the Conference with music, dancing and art performances.
APCD Chief Adviser, Prof. Akiie Ninomiya, presented the APCD Project, programs and information service, as well as regional networking and collaboration in order to maximize, utilize and mobilize local resources. He also gave a presentation on Mentally Challenged Persons and Ageing Society. Many NGO representatives positively responded to collaborating with APCD. APCD opened a booth during the Conference and provided information on the activities. The APCD mission team also visited the rural area in Kerala State in order to research community-based development for people with mental disabilities.
Seirei Asha Bhavan (the Seirei House of Hope), which collaborates with a Japanese NGO, has been developing a community-based program with vocational training, literacy classes, and recreation and sports. They have developed four village-based development centers utilizing regular houses in the community. Mr. Varghese Abraham, the Director who started this program since 1990 is now serving more than 100 persons with mental disabilities in several locations. His training of community leaders includes fund-raising, management and public awareness campaigns. He trains parents of mentally disabled children to be one of the leaders in each community-based program, and assigns a professional worker to the CBR program to train community people to be volunteers. This small grass-root approach project is very effective. Mr. Abraham's dream is to have one community-based rehabilitation program in all districts in south Kerala.
