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“Aash” means Hope and “Samphia” means Ability in the local dialect of Kullu valley. We are committed to bringing hope to families of children with developmental disabilities by helping everyone focus on their abilities.
The Aash Child Development Center was founded on 1stApril 2019 in Kullu town of Himachal Pradesh on the initiative of the Samphia Foundation. With a diverse and large inclusive vision Shruti and Rekha set up the Samphia Foundation.
Shruti, from Mumbai moved to Kullu in 2012 and joined Handimachal as an Occupational Therapist. While working at the center for 7 years she rose to the position of Executive Head of the Handimachal Therapy Center. Shruti has executed functions of providing clinic services, program planning and implementation, training, research, advocacy and leadership.
Rekha, after having completed her studies in Physiotherapy choose to return to her home town Kullu. Rekha has worked with children with disabilities at Handimachal Therapy Center for 5 years providing clinical services.
With a collective experience of 12 years of work at the grass rout level, Rekha with an acute understanding of local fabric of the community and Shruti with a larger worldview of the disability sector, are a team committed to fill the gaps in service provision to offer people with disabilities and their families more support, opportunity and choice. The ultimate goal of which being Inclusion.
Early Intervention Therapy Programs
The Early Intervention Therapy Program (EITP) is for very young children with Developmental and other disabilities. In EITP we work with children from birth to age seven. We encourage their overall development, enhance their abilities to full and endeavor to help them circumvent their disability. We build on the strengths of the child and train parents on early intervention strategies so that they are empowered to deal with their child’s issues. The intervention is activity based, with the emphasis on learning through play.
Intervention
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Physiotherapy
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Occupational therapy
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Speech therapy
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Special education
Intervention Methodology
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Parents and family counseling
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Childs evaluation and assessment
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Therapy plan and goals.
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Therapy sessions
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Parents training
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Re-evaluation and assessment
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Continuation of therapy service or discharge
The first five years have so much to do with how the next 80 turn out. – Bill Gates
Community Based Rehabilitation Programs
The Community Based Rehabilitation Program (CBRP) is an outreach program under which home based therapy services are provided to children who do not have access to the therapy center. In this program disability related awareness is spread in the community. This program is executed by Healthcare workers who are trained in the disability-specific intervention. The Healthcare workers visit child's home to provide support. The entire program is supervised by an experienced therapist.
Intervention
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Home based therapy program
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Disability awareness and advocacy in community
Methodology
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Selection of children
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Counseling, assessment and therapy plan by therapist
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Training of Healthcare worker
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Home visits by Healthcare worker
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Home visits by therapist
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Community Awareness, advocacy and liaising.
It empowers ordinary people to be more effective in caring for the health of others in their community, and in doing so, to become better guardians of their own health. Indeed, for me, task shifting is the ultimate example of the democratization of medical knowledge, and therefore, medical power”. – Prof Vikram Patel
Therapy On Wheels
Therapy on Wheels is a mobile therapy–center-on-wheels, a well-equipped therapy setup that provide Physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy to children with disabilities. The Therapy Bus also plays an active role in spreading awareness and information regrading disability. An in-built projector helps in educating the local residents on the importance of early detection and intervention of disabilities. The Therapy bus goes to villages where children are located and provide therapy intervention to children at their door steps. Therapy on Wheels program runs in association with Regional Hospital, Kullu's Him Suraksha mobile health clinic program. The Therapy on Wheels project is been funded by Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA) New Delhi under its CSR.
Reaching every last mile child!!!
Inclusion Programs
These programs are aimed towards changing the perception of the communities about disability. We believe that disability is an opportunity to develop a different kind of ability. But to do so we need active participation from the people around us. In these programs, we equip the people with knowledge and skills which can be used to transform the lives of differently abled people on a daily basis.
Awareness and Advocacy Activities
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School camps
Student-focused camps are conducted in school to sensitize students and teachers about the inclusion of children with disabilities in mainstream education. Disability-focused elocution drawing, slogan making, etc competitions are conducted. Educative sessions are conducted on various topics.
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Village Camp
Community focused camps are conducted in villages to increase the sensitivity of people towards disability issues. Educative session on the misconceptions, stigma and superstitious beliefs on disability are conducted.
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Public Events
Public events are conducted on various days related to a disability like the World Disability Day, Autism Day, etc to sensitizing the general public and facilitating dialogue for inclusions and right of people, especially children with disabilities.
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Social and Digital Media
Through Website, Facebook, Blog Post, YouTube etc disability focused educative and informative content is created to increase the reach of our activities and for general awareness in community.
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Print Media
Brochure, pamphlets and other information disseminating print mediums are used to increase awareness about the disability issues.
Diversity is being invited to the party; Inclusion is being asked to dance - Verna Myers
Training Programs
The aim of the training programs is to continually equip the team’s professional and clinical competencies and share knowledge and skills with other individuals and organizations working in the similar mountain community environment.
In-house Training
Training for staff is conducted on various topics related to clinical work in the center by inviting experts from the field.
Out-house Training
Staff attended training outside of the center to enhance their clinical and other professional skills
Parents Training
The training is focused to develop the skills of parents so that they are better equipped to facilitate the development of their children. The training is conducted by our team and outside experts.
Community Based Training
Training in basic management of developmental disabilities is given to the member of the communities to bring awareness about disability.
Teacher Training
Training focused on equipping school teachers to facilitate inclusive education model in the schools is conducted.
Capacity Building training for other organizations
Capacity Building, skill development and Community Based Rehabilitation Training are conducted for other organizations working in similar localities.
“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.” ― Phil Collins