Welfare of Divyangjans

Community Mobilization

  • ♦ SNAC Tripura under the National Trust
  • ♦ Indus Towers Scholarships for Students with Disabilities
  • ♦ Shantineer- Half Way Home
  • ♦ State Consultation On Accessibility Built Environment
  • ♦ Regional level Sensitization Programme on Understanding Deafblindness
  • ♦ Early Identification of Disabilities among Children
Community Mobilization
Community Mobilization

Dr.Sreelekha Ray, Executive Director, VHAT, Smitha Mol M.S.,Director, Social Welfare & Social Education, Tripura and Achintam Kilikdar, Deputy Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Tripura,during State Consultation on Accessibility Built Environment

Community Mobilization with Faith Organizations

VHAT -STATE NODAL AGENCY CENTRE TRIPURA Under the National Trust

VHAT is a registered organization under the National Trust a statutory body of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India (Under section 12 (4) of the Act). The Registration No. TVOL17519675538. Since 1stJanauary, 2021 to 31st May 2023, Voluntary Health Association of Tripura has been working as the State Nodal Agency (SNAC) of Tripura , under National Trust and was implementing various activities of the National Trust for welfare of the person with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities in this state. VHAT is the member of Local Level Committee (LLC) in three districts of Tripura viz. South Tripura District, North Tripura District and Unokoti District.

As per National Trust norms, VHAT implemented following activities in 2023-24:

  • World Autism Awareness Day was observed on 2nd April, 2023 by lightening the office premises of the organization in Blue-Yellow colour as per guideline of the National Trust, for creation of awareness among the community.
  • In 2023-2024, VHAT enrolled 123 (One hundred twenty-three) new beneficiaries for Niramaya Health Insurance Scheme and did renewal of the Health Cards for 3(three) beneficiaries in this scheme.
  • As a SNAC under the National Trust VHAT organized a Drawing Competition cum Awareness discussion under the scheme Badhte kadam on 20th April, 2023 for creating awareness about various schemes of National Trust and involving Divyangjans in the activity for their inclusion in the society.
  • Voluntary Health Association of Tripura observed International Day of Sign Languages on 23rd September,2023 in the Conference Hall of VHAT in presence of social activists from the various organizations throughout the state.
  • Voluntary Health Association of Tripura organized “Swacchata Hi Sewa” for Garbage free India on 25th September,2023.
  • VHAT took a part in the Celebration of District Level International Day for Persons with Disabilities-2023 at A.D. Nagar H.S. School playground on 3rd December,2023 and highlighted the schemes of National Trust for the welfare of the Divyangjans in the said event.
  • From 7 th December to 18th December,2023, we organized “BADTHEKADAM” – a community awareness activity regarding the schemes of National Trust for the welfare of PWDs (autism, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and multiple disability)through distribution of 2500 number printed leaflets and posters.
  • VHAT took a part in Khelo Tripura Para Games 2023 as a part of the stall of Social Welfare and Social Education Dept. Govt. of Tripura which was held on 29th and 30th December,2023 at Swami Vivekananda Maidan of Agartala.
  • VHAT as a Local level committee member for issuing Legal Guardianship under the chairmanship of District Magistrate and Collector of North, South and Unakoti District of Tripura. VHAT issued 09 (nine) Legal Guardianship Certificates for the benefit of the PwDs.
  • From 6th to 11th Feb,24 Voluntary Heath Association of Tripura Participated in Divya Kala Mela on behalf of the National Trust at Children’s Park of Agartala. The stall of VHAT drew public attention in the mela with the products manufactured by the DPOs members. These DPOs were formed by VHAT
  • Community Mobilization
    Community Mobilization with Faith Organizations

    Participation in Divya Kala Mela

    Indus Towers Scholarships FOR Students with Disabilities

    Since 2016, VHAT has been collaborating in various activities with Shishu Sarothi , an organization based in Guwahati, dedicated to early intervention and rehabilitation, education, advocacy, awareness, and the protection of rights for children and individuals with disabilities in North-East India. In relation to this we have been actively involved in implementing a Scholarship Program, aiming to empower students with disabilities to pursue higher education. Our goal is to counteract the declining trend and significant drop in the number of students with disabilities in higher education while fostering employment opportunities and the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the mainstream.

    The Indus Towers Scholarship Program (www.ssscholarship.org), a CSR initiative of Indus Towers Ltd, implemented by Shishu Sarothi was launched in 2016 ,where VHAT was the local partner for Tripura State, to encourage and support students with disability. From Tripura, 51 students have already benefited from the scholarship support in pursuing their higher education, many of them securing jobs and leading a life of dignity and financial independence. This year 11 students/scholars were selected from different parts of Tripura for scholarship. The selected students would receive support for their educational expenses until the completion of their courses, and some needy students would also receive additional assistance for study materials, assistive devices, hostel fees and conveyance.

    Annual Scholarship Award Ceremony of the "Indus Towers Scholarship Program" was held on 21st November 2023 in DDRC Hall Shyamali Bazar Agartala, where Scholarship certificates were given to 11 selected students. Among the dignitaries Ms.Seema J.,Project Coordinator , Shishu Sarothi, Ms.Rina Moiranghthem, O & M Head of Indus Tower Ltd , North East , Mr. Achintam Kilikder, Deputy Commissioner (PWD), Gov of Tripura and Mr.Pratip Brata Bhattacharjee, Branch Officer, Higher Education, Gov of Tripura were present in this ceremonial event.

    Community Mobilization
    Community Mobilization with Faith Organizations

    Annual Scholarship Award Ceremony of the "Indus Towers Scholarship Program" on 21st November 2023 in DDRC Hall Shyamali Bazar Agartala.

    Community Mobilization

    Training of the female inmates of Half Way Home for making paper bags

    Community Mobilization with Faith Organizations

    Door Mat making training of the female inmates of Half Way Home

    Shantineer- Half Way Home(HWH)

    This was new initiative of VHAT with support from the Social Welfare & Social Education Department under Government of Tripura. This shelter home is for the welfare & rehabilitation of persons living with mental illness who have been cured, who do not need further hospitalization, who are homeless & who are not accepted by their families or guardians and are in need of shelter, care and protection. To meet this objective, the Govt. of Tripura has established ‘SHANTINEER’–a Half Way Home at Narsingarh, West Tripura wherein 25 female and 25 male cured mental patients can be accommodated .

    VHAT could initiate this project in October 2023 with 25 female inmates sent by the Modern Psychiatric Hospital, Narsingarh. In March 2024 , again 15 male in mates were sent to Half Way Home by the Modern Psychiatric Hospital (MPH).

    Community Mobilization

    Female inmates of Shantineer

    Community Mobilization with Faith Organizations

    Male inmates with the Doctor of MPH & the Project Coordinator

    Services provided to the inmates:

  • 14 fulltime staff were engaged for the HWH
  • Food: we were providing Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner and two times tea & snacks as per the diet chart approved by MPH.
  • All necessary warm clothes & regular dresses were given
  • Regular Health Check-up were done for all the inmates by the Doctors of MPH.Two fulltime residential Nurses taking care of their hygiene, giving them medicines & looking after whether they were taking food Properly. The MPH provided the list of medicines being administered to the inmates during handing over of the inmates from MPH to the SHANTINEER – Half Way Home
  • In case of relapse of symptoms, immediately they were shifted to MPH until their symptoms subsided.
  • Engaging the inmates in some activities: So far we arranged ‘Training of the female inmates of Half Way Home for making paper bags’ & ‘Door Mat making training of the female inmates of Half Way Home’
  • Repatriation/ Integration into family: On regular basis, our staff did home visits , discussed with the family members for taking back them in their original families. We also communicated with local leaders , panchayat Members and religious leaders. So far we could reintegrate five female inmates with their families. We would continue the reintegration process as these cured mentally ill persons have the right to live with the families.
  • The MPH was the inspecting authority for the SHANTINEER - Half Way Home.
  • State Consultation On Accessibility Built Environment

    The State Consultation on Accessible Built Environment was organized by Shishu Sarothi and VHAT in collaboration with the Directorate of Social Welfare and Social Education, Government of Tripura on December 2, 2023 at Agartala ,in the conference hall of Directorate of Social Welfare & Social Education, Tripura. It was organized to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, 2023 which is celebrated this year with the theme “United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities,” and, ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities is the first step towards inclusion. In the beginning Madam Smitha Mol, M.S.(IAS) Director, Social Welfare & Social Education, Tripura addressed the participants. Thereafter, Mr.Achintam Kilikdar, Deputy Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Tripura, began his address by sharing that the Rights of Person with Disabilities Act, 2016 which replaces the earlier Person with Disabilities Act, 1995 is a comprehensive legal framework that reflects a commitment to creating an inclusive and accessible society.

    Participants: Total 37 people, including state- and district-level officials from government departments, like Public Works (Roads), Public Works (Building), Municipal Council, Urban Development, Rural Development, Transport, Housing & Construction Board, Social Welfare & Education and one representative from All Tripura Blind Association.

    Working Session on Accessible Built – Environment: Ms. Amvalika Senapati, Deputy Director, Shishu Sarothi, conducted the working session on Built-Environment Accessibility. She initiated the session with concept of disability and rights-based approach. She shared the various barriers faced by persons with disabilities in the society such as, physical, social, institutional and communication barriers and said that addressing these barriers are essential for creating inclusive and accessible environment. She showed pictorial presentation depicting various barriers in the built-environment. Thereafter she highlighted upon the concept of accessibility and its importance and emphasized that accessibility plays an important role in breaking the vicious cycle of poverty and disability as it enables a person with disability to access good education, which ensures good job opportunity or livelihood options, thereby leading to economic empowerment and reducing their dependence on other for their survival. She also shared that accessibility also ensures that persons with disabilities are able to live a life with dignity, respect and independence and get equal opportunities to participate. Accessibility includes both physical and virtual environment of a person, as well as rules, policies, practices and attitudes of people affecting the lives of persons with disabilities. As per the Right of Person with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 the provisions vis-à-vis the built - environment, stipulates that :

  • No establishment shall be granted permission to build any structure if the building plan does not adhere to the rules notified in this regard.
  • No establishment shall be issued a certificate of completion or allowed to take occupation of a building unless it has adhered to the rules.
  • This was followed the interaction / Queries from Participants.
    Community Mobilization

    Working session in progress

    Community Mobilization with Faith Organizations

    Interaction / Queries from Participants

    Regional level Sensitization on Understanding Deafblindness

    This was organized in collaboration with Shishu Sarothi Deafblind Regional Centre, Guwahati, on 22nd December 2023 in VHAT Hall at Kunjaban, Agartala, where 42 persons from 10 NGOs participated. In initial discussion Dr.Sreelekha Ray,ED of VHAT expressed her thoughts about Deafblindness, seeking everyone’s attention on the topic & invited all to come together to raise awareness and be sensitized about the nature and needs of persons with Deafblindness. The event was moderated by Mr.Nabajyoti Medhi, DbRC Coordinator.He talked about the SPARSH project and the services provided by team to the deafblind students and their caregivers. In his presentation he shared data on the numbers of students reached so far and spoke about the services provided to Adults with Deafblindness (ADb) including vocational training and income generation support. He also mentioned the support services provided to students living in remote rural areas of Assam.

    Then Mr.Dipam Das Special Educator DbRC discussed about different types and causes of Deafblindness (e.g. Rubella/Usher/Charge/ Waarden burg Syndrome). He also discussed the teaching methodology used by Special Educators for teaching Db and MSI children. He introduced the different modes of communication to the participants :- Tactile Sign language/Finger Spelling (American/Indian)/Print on Palm/ Tadoma/ Braille /Lipreading/ Communication Books etc. The participants interacted actively and asked a lot of questions as well. The session ended with every one learning the basics of finger spellings.

    Mr. Kamel Mostafa, Field Worker of the DbRC team gave abrief presentation on the field work done to identify children with Dband MSI.He shared his experiences from the field and shared few simple methods of screening and assessment by which a normal person without a medical background can do basic screening before a formal clinical assessment.He urged everyone’s support in making the SPARSH network bigger so that more children across Northeast can be reached by DbRC

    Community Mobilization

    Sensitization Program on Understanding Deafblindness in VHAT Hall on 22-12-2023

    Community Mobilization with Faith Organizations

    Training on early identification of Disability with AWW in

    EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF DISABILITIES AMONG CHILDREN

    Two workshops on ‘Early Identification of Disabilities among Children’ were organized with - 1)ASHA workers on 29/01/2024 in collaboration with West Bhubanban UPHC & 2) Anganwadi workers of Bishalgarh block of Sepahijala district on 30/02/2024 in Community Hall of Gokulnagar panchayat. Facilitator was Mr.Dhanajit Kalita, Senior Physiotherapist, Shishu Sarothi , Guwahati , Assam. We organized these sensitization workshops as partner of Shishu Sarothi.

    Community Mobilization with Faith Organizations

    Training on early identification of Disability with ASHA Workers