Dr Mihir Parekh, child psychologist and special educator, has recently opened Urja Mart, a supermarket handled by youngsters with Down’s syndrome and on the Autism spectrum. Here, he talks about how the initiative will help them gain real world experience and employability skills.
Dr Parekh, you have recently opened a supermarket, Urja Mart, managed by youngsters with special needs. Could you tell us a little about your unique initiative?
Urja Mart is a training mart for children with special…
Down Syndrome
Art is increasingly recognised as medium of expression for persons with intellectual disabilities. Our editor Moyna Sen, who attended the Art Sanctuary's Gala organised by Shalini Gupta shares her impressions. Shaurya Mehrotra may be a young man of few words. But he is a happy person when he is around his creations at the recently held Art Sanctuary’s Gala: Art, Ceramic and Photography Workshops at DLF Chattarpur Farms -- beautiful ceramic pots and bowls, colourful and lovingly created by…
Dr. Surekha Ramachandran, mother of a young woman with Down Syndrome and Chairperson of the Down Syndrome Federation of India sheds light on the myths and misconceptions about persons with Down Syndrome . And a message to all parents on World Down Syndrome Day. PatientsEngage spoke with Dr. Surekha Ramachandran, founder of Down Syndrome Federation of India. Established in the year 1984, with 6 children, DSFI today serves innumerable children not only around India, but also the Middle East…
Personal safety and sexuality education is critical for children and young individuals with Intellectual disabilities, auditory or visual impairments. But it often does not get the right level of attention from parents and teachers. Enfold Proactive Health Trust, a Bangalore based NGO, has devised a project ‘Suvidha’ to address this gap. Read on. All children, irrespective of the ‘normalcy’ of their neural or physical development, have a right to safety and dignity. Personal safety education…
This one of a kind café in Mumbai provides employment opportunities to adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities and is full of yummy snacks. Read trustee Ashaita Mahajan’s interview for full story. In the last few years, a handful of restaurants and eateries have opened across India that are creating opportunities for the differently abled. Café Arpan is the latest addition. Could you tell us how Café Arpan was envisaged and what is its mission? Cafe Arpan is the second supported…
I Support Foundation tries to make cafes and restaurant visits a hurdle-free experience for families of persons with disabilities. We speak to co-founder Juhi Ramani on how they are going about it. This initiative is to create awareness and provide hassle free service to persons with disabilities. We, the I Support Foundation (NGO), started this initiative for achieving universal accessibility that will enable persons with disabilities to gain access for equal opportunity and live independently…
Minu Budhia and daughter Preeyam Budhia, co-founders of Café ICanFlyy in Kolkata, a café which employs individuals with disabilities and empowers them to chart out their course in life, talk about the vision behind setting up this one-of-a-kind café in the country. Tell us about Cafe ICanFlyy. How did it take shape? Cosy, quirky, and certainly a labour of love, Cafe ICanFlyy is a 50-seater cafe run by individuals with special needs. Whether you’re making a quick stop for a cuppa, a short…
Raviraj Shetty, a lead Therapist, Supervisor and Project Manager at Ummeed Child Development Center talks about his work using Narrative Psychology. He has published a paper in the Indian Journal of Occupational Therapy in the context of handwriting training using Narrative Therapy. 1. What is Narrative psychology? Narrative therapy is a respectful and a non-blaming approach of counselling used for children, individuals, families, couples and communities. Narrative therapy is based…
Raising the Bar, an Indo-Australian documentary, is a lively, cheerful narrative on Down syndrome and has won many prestigious awards and accolades. Here we speak to director Onir who says the film aims to create awareness, encourage inclusion, celebrate differences and conquer preconceived boundaries. You are an acclaimed Indian film director known for unconventional works like ‘My Brother…Nikhil’ (on AIDS and homosexuality) and the National award winning ‘I am’ (on gay rights, sperm donation…
