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Prayas has pioneered the concept of integrated schools, where children with special needs are gradually integrated into regular schools to enable their growth and development towards becoming self-sufficient individuals who can live with dignity. The organization began operations in 1996 and has slowly expanded its reach to serve the maximum possible number of people. Today we are serving around 500 children through our four centers and helping 10000 families through different activities such as Health Camps, Vocational Training and Community Services. Prayas also runs centers to train educators who are specially qualified to deal with differently-abled children. This includes specialists trained in physical therapy as well as mental retardation. Our diploma course on Special Education has graduated 64 students since 2006, most of whom are currently employed in government and private schools around Rajasthan. Recently, Prayas has been working with the Rajasthan government to replicate our integrated school model in government schools in the state and has been very successful in this endeavor.
Prayas has an ongoing community outreach program to identify special needs children in the region who are not currently attending school. On identifying such children, our team counsels parents on the importance of education and makes efforts to serve the children either through a home-based program or brings them to school. This has resulted in the program growing by leaps and bounds since its inception. The Amargarh School was started in December 2003 to provide access to the same services that were available at Raja Park Integrated School to a larger number of people in a minority-dominated area of Jaipur. Similarly, the Sanganer School was started in October 2006 specifically for rural communities adjoining Jaipur. Situated 15-20 km outside the city, Sanganer is a low budget, high quality inclusive school with classes from Prep to V standard, currently serving 93 students.
To read more about our efforts and successes, please visit our website listed below.
Prayas’ efforts have been recognized and appreciated by those that we engage with and our stakeholders. These efforts have resulted in regular school attendance, increased awareness of rights and community mobilization. We have made remarkable strides and overcome challenges in the past years to stand where we are today. Some of the stories of our success are listed below:
• In 2008, two students from Jhalana Special School were integrated into regular schools. Swati, a twelve year old hearing impaired child, entered grade VI and Manmeet, a mildly mentally challenged child, entered Grade II.
• Yogesh, after studying in Prayas for 4 years, was integrated into a public school.
• In 2009, six children with mild mental retardation were mainstreamed into regular schools.
• Pallavi is a ten year old child suffering from multiple disabilities. When she joined Prayas in 2008, she did not have trunk control and hence could not sit independently. She could hardly speak at all. Within a year Pallavi has shown great progress. She has now gained neck control, speaks full sentences and has become very social. She loves to come to school and knows all the names of her class mates.
• Saddam is a seventeen year old boy with severe mental retardation and physical disability in his lower extremities. The muscles in his legs and knees are very tight, and he therefore has difficulty in walking. Two years ago, when he joined Prayas, he was not even able to sit independently or speak. Since then, he has learned basic words such as namaste (hello), and is able to make simple requests, such as roti (flatbread) and pani (water). He also listens to requests made by others, such as baitho (sit down). He has made positive progress and is now able to stand by leaning on a wall, and can sit independently cross-legged on the floor. Today he continues to study at Prayas’ Raja Park School.
• Varsha is a fifteen year old multiple-disabled child. She is the eldest of four brothers and sisters. She joined Prayas in September 2006, and up until that time (the age of 12), Varsha had never been to school. She had always wanted to go to school, but because of her disabilities, her parents had never attempted to enroll her. At the time, Varsha could not sit properly and her parents had given up on her. With regular physiotherapy exercises and Varsha’s own determination, she has learned to take a few steps, eat her own food, and even read and write. She is now preparing for Grade B examination through the National Institute of Open Schooling
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