Ashraya serves to enable the most disabled. In a state where only 10 percent of over two hundred thousand physically and mentally challenged children receive any sort of institutional care, Ashaya looks to empower underprivileged girls who are mentally or physically challenged, train and provide them with the tools they require to thrive. Ashraya's vision is to mold its challenged daughters into self-reliant and dignified individuals with a will to successfully face the challenges caused by their disability.
The project was founded in June 2000, in Kollam, Kerala. Today, Ashraya has 24 daughters, of which most of them are from below poverty line families and from difficult social backgrounds. Ten of them get regular education from the local government school. Rest of them undergo special education classes from well trained Ashraya teachers. Ashraya recognizes the immense creative potential of its daughters and provides them opportunity for all round development to train and perform in dance, music, yoga, martial arts, painting, craft work, clay modeling and so on. Beyond all, Ashraya is a home to its children, giving them the love and care they often lack in their own domestic settings. Ashraya daughters have responded extremely well, and as a glowing testament to its success, one of its eldest daughters has overcome her challenges and has secured admission to pursue her dream to become a computer engineer.
WAH Budget Proposal
Budget Item
Amount
Construction of 300 Sq. Ft room for physiotherapy
$15,000.00
Total
$15,000.00
Infrastructure for physiotherapy unit, to ease challenged children's mobility, enabling them to be educated and overcome challenges.
WAH 2009 will help Ashraya build a physiotherapy unit, as its current facility does not provide a space large enough to give adequate quality physiotherapy for its challenged daughters. Over the years, Ashraya has observed that physiotherapy is especially important for children with Cerebral Palsy as it improves their movement skills and balance, facilitating their walking and their ability to stand without aid . Thus physiotherapy is seen as a key enabler for children to pursue their education and overcome their challenges. A full-fledged physiotherapy center would also help Ashraya generate income, and bring it closer to its ultimate goal of self-sustainability. Ashraya plans to supplement WAH funds with local funds and loans.
Through a fun, creative mix of educational activities, including clay modeling and needle work to help the physically challenged develop motor skills and classical music to help the mentally challenged improve their memory retention, Asraya has seen its girls grow and flourish. The goal is to train the girls to be self-reliant and independent, so they can easily merge into mainstream society. Another unique aspect is that in each rehabilitation program or class, there is an even mix of physically and mentally challenged students – this diversity in the classroom has helped better develolp all the girls at Ashraya. Ashraya’s teachers – themselves challenged – undergo an additional Foundation Course in Special Education and are sent for various training programs to ensure their professional development. The net result is a community of physically or mentally challenged girls and women who are empowered to not only survive, but thrive. Asha has been engaged with Ashraya since 2005 and helped with infrastructure development and teacher's salaries.
Apart from monetary help, help is also being sought in terms of networking and technical collaboration in areas such as
- technology for creating artificial limbs which are light and flexible, yet can be mass produced economically
- help in studying and formalizing the advantages of music therapy
- appropriate used books for the library and physiotherapy equipment
