Social Inclusion Workshop for India and ECSA : 28th to 30th March, 2010

By Shweta Chooramani


The social inclusion workshop was primarily facilitated by Diane Mulligan, Praveen Kumar and Gertrude for three days at Hotel Retreat, Madh Island in Mumbai from 28th to 30th March,2010.

Day 1: 28th March, 2010


The day started with Diane's presentation on basic difference between human rights & equality. The session highlighted the fact that human rights respect the difference and empowers the person to take informed choices. It was emphasized that "Rights has to be given with dignity and not charity".

To let the participant grasp the concept of equality, she quoted an example of "Guaranteed Interview Scheme" in UK wherein all the applicants meeting the minimum eligibility criteria were called for an interview.



Following here presentation Ketan took a session on barriers faced by people with disability. There can be four types of barriers for disabled persons:

1. Information and Communication
2. Build Environment
3. Insitutional
4. Attitudes and Behaviour

To break these barrier time to time different types of models have been explored and applied rangin from traditional model where disabled persons were seen with pity to medical model where they their existence is valid only in presence of the certificate.

With time, social model evolved wherein the focus was on bringing the best out of the disabled person rather than their limitation. Then came the bio-psycho social model which was holistic as it envisages medical, pyschiatric and environmental needs of the person.

In second half of the session , Dr Sam Taraporewala shared his advocacy experience in financial access, print access, education of visually impaired and employement opportunities resepectively.

On left, Diane Mulligan from HH: Faciltator for workshop

Gertrude from West Africa Regional Office and Praveen Kumar from Noth East India Area Office: Facilitators

Ketan Kothari from South India Area Office: Took session on different models of disability and challenging attitudes and behaviours.

Day 2: 29th March, 2010

This day sessions were planned to identify gap in current approaches of CBR through group work. Discussions were driven around scalability, demonstration and twin trach approach. According to the twin track mainstreaming disability as well as initiating disabiltiy specific initiatives goes hand in hand.

George intorduced the guest speaker of the pre lunch session, Prasanna Pincha who is a member of national team leader on UNCRPD and also special rapporteur of National Human Rights Commission. His session revolved around the overview and analysis of UNCRPD.

Interesting disucussions surfaced up during this session about human rights and how the UNCRPD is being signed by a country. There are four generation of human rights. First generation human rights are those rights which can be realized immediately like civil and political rights. While, the second generation human rights are realized progressively by an individual like social, economic and cultural.

Guest speaker Prasanna Pincha welcomed by facilitators. He took a session on UNCRPD overview, its analysis, on how the UN convention can be used to enable PWDs to realize their rights.

Presentation by Prabhat Sinha, North West Area Office on WHO CBR matrix during group excercise.

India follows the dualist system of international law which signifies that an international commitment only becomes domestically operational when it is made part of a national legislation. India has both signed and ratified UNCRPD hence this international commitment requires that active steps be taken to make the rights available to persons with disabilities.

The flip sides of optional protocol as specified in UNCRPD was also discussed. According to this protocol a person with disability can seek guidance and justice from international committee if their voice is unheard in their country. While UK is the signatory of optional protocol, India has not signed it yet.

After the lunch session, participants were divided in group to work on linking the WHO CBR matrix with programmes supported by Sightsavers.

Day 3: 30th March, 2010

The concluding day area/region wise groups worked on stakeholder analysis for implementing UNCRPD.
Group work in India team for presentation on action plan within next 12 months on social inclusion.

Sightsavers Brand Launch Party

Sightsavers launched its new brand globally on 1st March, 2010. The new logo is compact, vibrant, rich in colors and clearly communicate its approach of working through collaboration by two overlapping rings.

Cake prepared for brand launch party by Pakistan Country Team

Sightsavers Merchandise

Official Wallpaper

India region aptly celebrated the launch following the eve of Holi (national holiday). Holi, also called the "Festival of Colors", is a spring festival celebrated in India. To get the splasth of colors, plan your visit to our projects accordingly. In this festival people play with Gulal (dry colors) and water.

You may have missed the party but these happy faces will ensure the spirit !

Holi and Brand Launch, India Team

Cheers ! Ireland Team

Srilankan Team's Delicacy

Kenya and East Central Africa Regional Team

Ring a ring o"roses ! Haywards Heath Team Happy Brand Party ! Pakistan Team

West Africa Regional Office Team

Ketan and Emily at LAICO Madurai

This year Ketan and Emily went to LAICO, Madurai for two weeks training (Eyecare Programme Manager's Course) from 8th to 20th February, 2010.


Let's see what Ketan has to say about it !


" LAICO was beyond expectations, I had gone there to know about eye care but was quite happy to get new insights into programme management. Their approaches appeared to me to be very practical and helped in creating a liking for eye care programmes.

I wanted to touch and see all the equipments but that appeared a distant dream till I made my feelings known to the faculties. They arranged the same and fulfilled my dream. Overall, LAICO experience was something that was worth my while and I have come back with a lot of learnings."


Emily will shortly share her feedback on compiling KPIs midnight amidst completing LAICO assignments and yes some photographs too !

From the desk of VISION 2020 : AIOS Conference 2010 @ Kolkata

By Dr Rajesh Noah (rajeshnoah@vision2020india.org)
Executive Director, VISION 2020


VISION 2020 India, in collaboration with the National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB) and the Eyebank Association of India (EBAI), put up a display of posters, literature and leaflets along with audio-video material for ophthalmologists at the recently concluded AIOC 2010. The 68th annual conference of All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) and the 15th Afro Asian Congress of Ophthalmology (AACO) held at Science City Centre, Kolkata from 21st to 24th , 2010.

VISION 2020 INDIA stall at the AIOC-2010 in Kolkata was a very good opportunity to ensure convergence with AIOS, NPCB, and EBAI and showcase the good work being done by NPCB and other Non-Governmental agencies through display of posters, literature and distribution of leaflets as well as audio/video materials for ophthalmologists coming to the conference from all over the country.

It provided 200 visitors to discuss about the work done by VISION 2020 INDIA, NPCB and EBAI and obtain necessary materials for use in their areas of work. The stall presented a good platform to showcase the blindness prevention efforts of the government and the NGOs. The stall was a must-see for those who wanted information on NPCB activities and materials produced by them.

Posters on Eye Donation developed by NPCB as well as EBAI drew lot of attention from the visitors. All the visitors, many of them from the Govt. hospitals, were given information brochures.

The show-stealers:

1. Revised 2009 editions of the NPCB Guidelines for SHS & DHS
2. Revised 2009 edition of the NPCB Guidelines for NGOs
3. Revised 2009 edition of Standards of Eye Banking
4. Set of 4 CDs containing Audio-video materials on Eye Donation & awareness messages on other eye diseases
5. VISION 2020 INDIA Annual Planner
6. VISION 2020 INDIA 2010 Diary and Brochure

Suggestions
Seeing this over-whelming response to NPCB materials, NPCB might want to depute their State Team to work with us. The presence of NPCB will make a huge difference and a greater impact in effective IEC. This in turn will create more awareness about the program leading to higher confidence among the stakeholders to serve without any inhibition benefiting the community.

AIOS 2011 : Ahmedabad, Gujarat
The Ophthalmic Fraternity would be pleased to feel the presence of NPCB in a bigger way in the next AIOC annual conference in Ahmedabad in 2011.

The Case of Baby Anjali Nishad from Chhattisgarh

By Vasant Shendye (vshendye@sightsavers.org)
North India Area Office, Bhopal



Anjali Nishad is a 3 year old girl from Tora village [Simga block-Raipur district-Chhattisgarh]. When field worker from GRIHINI identified her [through Anganwadi worker] in the month of July 09, she was having tremendous pain in her left eye. Thus, she was first referred to CHC, Bhatapara. After examining her, Ophthalmologist referred her to Medical College, Raipur for further examination. It was then Anjali was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma [cancer in left eye] .

Retinoblastoma (Rb) is a rapidly developing cancer which develops in the cells of the retina, the light detecting tissue of the eye. It usually develops in early childhood, typically before the age of 5.

Retinoblastoma is rare and affects approximately 1 in 15,000 live births.

In most children with retinoblastoma, the disease affects only one eye. However, one out of three children with retinoblastoma develops cancer in both eyes. Most children are diagnosed before the age of five years old, as in the case of Anjali too. Retinoblastoma is often curable when it is diagnosed early. However, if it is not treated promptly, this cancer can spread beyond the eye to other parts of the body. This advanced form of retinoblastoma can be life-threatening. The first priority is to preserve the life of the child, then to preserve the vision and thirdly to minimize any complications or side effects of the treatment. The exact course of treatment depends on the individual case.

In case of Anjali, she underwent an operation on 8th August 2009, where her left eye ball with the tumor was completely removed [Enucleation] and her life was saved before the spread of tumour. This space will soon be replaced by an artificial eye.


Her parents have taken her for 2 subsequent follow ups and now there are no complaints.

The Driving Force: GRIHINI

GRIHINI, the CBR partner has constantly given support to her parents in terms of counseling and referral. By early identification, quick referral and by providing constant support, GRIHINI has done a comendable task.
GRIHINI is a voluntary non-profit making organization established in the year 1996 that promotes social development through community based organizations. Its is working with the theme of empowering women through livelihood, health, nutrition and education based interventions.

GRIHINI initiated a CBR and IE project with the support of Sightsavers in the year July 2008 in Simga block of Raipur district.


According to the recently concluded population based survey (2000-2001), prevalence of blindness in the state of Chhattisgarh is 1.6 % i.e. approximately 3.3 million people are blind in the state of Chhattisgarh. GRIHINI is one of the recent partners of Sightsavers in the state of Chhattisgarh.

Right to Read

By Ketan Kothari (kkothari@sightsavers.org)

South India Area Office, Mumbai

30th January is a day of great significance in the history of India. It is the death anniversary of India’s father of nation, Mahatma Gandhi and also the martyrs’ day. But this year was special for print impaired community.

Saturday afternoon in Delhi was pleasant and pregnant with hope. The International Book Fair was being inaugurated at Pragati Maidan. We had chosen this occasion to be the apt time for a major launch of “Right to Read”.

Several organizations came together and proclaimed to the world that all print impaired people all over India have the right to read all the literature the very day it was published. Their choice was no longer to be governed by organizations that converted the literature in accessible formats.

I along with Ranjish Kattady represented Sightsavers at this launch.

The afternoon began with a skit proclaiming the right in the loudest terms. After this, people were invited to present their views.

I told the audience that we must insist that we should get to read all the literature and Government should make it sure that our right to read is protected. In fact, as per Article 21 of our constitution, we have already been guaranteed this right as it enunciates right to Life with dignity.

Many blind and visually impaired people repeated this. Dr. Sam Taraporevala told the gathering that more than 550 authors and 40 publishers cutting across linguistic borders have consented to convert their literature in accessible formats.

A panel discussion took place with Sagarika Ghose, a famous TV anchor moderating it. Christopher Friend gave an overview of Global Right to Read campaign and informed the audience about the various efforts taking place across the globe to get the publishers on our side.

WIPO treaty was also mentioned. It was shocking that publishers were harping on their fear of piracy whereas there is no evidence to suggest that we are responsible for it. Javed Abidi hammered the publishers that it is sad that such simple changes require legal interventions.

It was a great afternoon.

When we parted, we were sure that we shall overcome all the hurdles and get the right that we deserve. This was one of many struggles that we may have to undertake to get what we want.

CII Seminar On Banking Access for Visually Challenged: 7th Jan, 2010

Ketan Kothari, SIAO

The year 2010 seems to have dawned with a lot of hope for persons with disabilities especially those with visual disabilities. The year began with an important meeting that took place at the auditorium of ICICI. No lesser person than the CEO of ICICI Ms. Chanda Kocher was the Chief Guest at this event. Many private and nationalized banks were represented at this event. Sabitra Kundu, Programme Manager, and Shrinivas Sawant, Area Director, South India Area Office and I , represented Sightsavers International. The mandate of the event to discuss how to make banking services accessible to the visually challenged. The event was organized by Chambers of Indian Industries (CII).



The event commenced with an inspiring welcome by Mr. Ram Vaidya of CII. Ms. Kocher spoke about the need for inclusive banking to take into account the needs of the disabled community. She reminded all that it was ICICI that for the first time installed a “talking ATM” way back in 2003 and promised that the bank would take more steps to provide more and more facilities to its disabled customers.

Mr. Amitabh Kumar of SBI gave a detailed account of the initiatives taken by his bank to make all services of banking accessible to the visually challenged customers. I spoke the difficulties faced at the ground level in spite of the fact that RBI has issued guidelines for accessible banking services. I also emphasized the fact that unless effective measures are taken and all the stakeholders informed of these meetings will become a mere eating house.

Dr Sam Taraporevala and Prashant Naik of Xavier Resource Centre for Visually Challenged demonstrated a software based solution for verification of cheques called “ESign”. It was meant to verify cheques using fingerprints. This is the safest since forging of fingerprint is impossible .

Ms. Kapur of ICICI informed the meeting of the steps taken by the bank to improve accessibility for the visually challenged clients.

In the end, a discussion took place wherein various suggestions were put forth and it was agreed that action points will be worked upon so that the meeting would be of real value. However, I was quite disappointed to see that many bankers were not aware of very simple technology and some of them still spoke with condescension.

Glimpse of Mumbai Marathon : 17th Jan 2010

Hi All,

Just a glimpse of Mumbai Marathon...From Sightsavers 12 people participated in Dream Run Category ( 6 kms) with one lucky draw entry on the final day...

Any guess...Here is a clue, this die hard marathon fan got the bib at the ninth our at VT station, though he had come to cheer us up...for answer scan the last snap...
This is the starting point (holding area) for the race. Good times partner Kingfisher organized fancy dress competition. The issue of "climate change" received the first prize.

Fund raising event amidst the race (for village schools)


Throughout the route, there were live bands playing fantabalous music to refresh the runners. Towards the ending point, Radio Mirchi jockey was giving live updates.


Sightsavers team meeting with cheer leaders...Shrinivas, Siddhant (Little Shrinivas Ji), Jerome (extreme left, John's son) and Sheryn (extreme right, John's Daughter).

Wondering where is Emily, Ketan, Bhavana and Vasant...then don't miss to check MEC blog tomorrow.

BTW the lucky runner was Sabitra :)

The Joy of Sharing

Ketan Kothari, SIAO

Wednesday 9th December was a very pleasant day and the evening air was just about pleasant. December chill was not at all in the air. The day was made warm by the fact that I was in Chembur to attend the award presentation ceremony of NSEOH. Prof. M. S. Raju of VisionAid, Vishakhapattanam was one of the recipient. (Dr. Rohit Trivedi another of our partner was also one of the winner, though he was absent).


Justice Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari was the Chief Guest and Lion Rajiv Manwani was the Guest of Honour.After the initial formalities, several awards were presented. It was joyous to be present where one of our partners was felicitated.

But the climax of the function came when Justice Dharmadhikari started his address. One of the legal luminaries, Justice Dharmadhikari was very eloquent at the ripe age of 82. His speech was an eye-opener and in fact that speech has prompted me to pen down my reflections.

He narrated 2 incidences that occurred in his life. In the first instance, he told us about his experiences of working as Chairman of a school for the blind. He said that his experience as very painful and that experience made him resign his position. He said that he had returned a box of sweets which was donated by a rich villager on the occasion of his mother’s death. Justice Dharmadhikari was very happy that he had done the right thing. But alas! The next day a few of the students approached and enquired of him if he had returned some sweets. He answered in the affirmative and said that he did not want his students to be looked as pitiful individuals but wished that they should be treated normally. But one of the students poignantly asked him, “Sir, you have deprived us of our sweets forever; we come from poor families and do you think anyone would ever come and donate sweets to blind children on festive occasions? We shall never get to eat sweets again.” Justice Dharmadhikari thought that the society has not treated disabled equally and he resigned his post with deep sadness.

On another occasion, while visiting an asylum in Bangalore on account of his mother’s mental problems, he observed several children stoning the patients and enjoying. He was very sad. The supervisor asked him, “You are young like these kids; why don’t you join the fun?” He answered “I cannot have such fun; one of the patients happen to be my mother”.

He was of the opinion that we should share our joy and the pain of the disabled. Joy increases with sharing and pain gets divided. He as very critical of “frozen relationships” that we live in cities like Mumbai.

It is a very timely thought; we must mean inclusion when we talk of it. We must not treat the disabled as “they” and the others as “us”. We must all stop treating the disabled as “animals in the zoo”. Let us pledge that we will come forward and be at least good listeners to allow disabled to give vent to their frustration and also to share in their small joys.

Dhaka Conference : 7th - 8th Jan, 2010

Shanthakumari Gopal, NEAO

The paper I have written on “Sightsavers Inclusive Education programme in India” got selected for the presentation at the International Conference on “Child Friendly Inclusive Education 2010” organized by Institute of Education and Research, University of Dhaka. Although the conference committee informed me about the selection of my paper much in advance, yet the decision was taken to attend the conference was on the last minute. That was, while returning from SHIS project area (Sunderbans) and enjoying a windy boat ride with Shweta on 5th Jan, it was decided that I am going to Dhaka.

Neverthelesss, I had all the good lucks at my end + the supports of my colleagues which made me to be available at conference hall just 20 minutes before my presentation starts. Later I realized, how much I might have had missed if I had not have gone for it. Had a wonderful time with our colleagues of Bangladesh Country Office (BCO) and Dr Bhusan Punanai, gaining new learning and perspectives.

Sightsavers BCO was among one of the sponsor of the conference alongwith Save the children, Plan and British Council. We met with the programme people from Sightsavers BCO and PCO. The country director Mr Wahidul Islam, also gave speech in the inaugural session. The BCO team really appreciated our inclusive education work over the decades as their education projects are relatively new (2004). Sightsavers BCO had also exhibited IEC materials and assistive devices. No matter how much we wanted to attend each other's presentation, coincidentally, mine, Shweta's and Dr Punani's presentation were scheduled under parallel sessions on Day 1 itself. However, we managed to attend the presentation of BCO by Rifat and Nusrat on Day 2.

(L to R: Shantha, Rifat, Dr Punani, Zakia, Nusrat, Shweta)

In the evening, enjoyed a cultural programme depicting the history of Bangladesh and that was the end of our visit to "Sonar Bangla".