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Ashirwad Trust
Ashirwad
Breaking Boundaries
Mission Statement With God's blessings, our mission
is to rehabilitate people with disabilities; to reach and to serve them through love and dedication with the ultimate goal of enabling
independence.
munity Health Centre for physiotherapy following accidents, injuries or after surgery. Last year a total of 1047 individuals utilized this excellant service.
Rehabilitation of the differently abled Sayla district has long suffered from the lack of support services for thousands of blind and disabled people. In 1996, through the divine inspiration of Param Pujya Bhaishree, a new institute 'Ashirwad Trust for the Disabled (ATD)' was established. Raj Saubhag Ashram partnered with Blind People's Association of Ahmedabad who brought their vast experience and technical expertise to the work. For many years, from a very basic premise "There is multi-disciplinary involvement the Ashirwad Trust rehabilitated differently from professional teachers, physiotherapists, abled children and adults with physical psychologists, psychiatrists, orthopaedic and/or mental challenges living in remote and ENT specialists. The Ashirwad Centre villages across the Sayla district. In 2006 in Sayla is equipped with technology such a purpose built 10,000 sq ft modern as braillers, tacrile maps, mobility aids, play resource and day centre was built in Sayla. materials and specialist dark rooms. Today Ashirwad Trust has three active day centres, Ashirwad Centre (Sayla), Upasana
AT THE HEART OF Kendra (Vadhavan and Kshamata Kendra
ASHIRWAD TRUST LIES A (Limbdi).
BELIEF IN INCLUSION AND Centre Based Rehabilitation PARTICIPATION. PEOPLE OF Ashirwad Trust has three rehabilitation
ALL ABILITIES DESERVE LOVE, day centres. These provide services for
DIGNITY AND CHOICES. 223 children with various disabilities from visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech impairment, deaf and dumb, mental Community based Rehabilitation impairment, cerebral palsy and other multi- Many people are unable to travel or attend disabilities.
a day care centre. There are numerous
reasons, such as severe and multiple Field workers from Ashirwad Trust travel
disabilities, homes in remote areas, family to villages to identify those with disabilities
obligations and severe poverty. Funding that have needs unmet and achieve holistic
from Gujarat Government and Department rehabilitation. The field workers provide
of Social Justice and Empowerment allows initial training in the home environment
Ashirwad Trust to provide rehabilitation on basic personal hygiene and social skills.
services for over 2200 disabled people In many cases parents have neglected these
across Surendranagar county at their own children due to financial constraints and
doorsteps. social stigma. After foundational training the children and
Physiotherapy parents are brought to one of the centres for
The Ashirwad Centre provides a physio a medical and developmental assessment. A
therapy service free of charge to the local personal plan is developed for their multi
community. Many visitors are impressed
and inspired by the fact that the qualified disciplinary rehabilitation programme,
physiotherapists here are blind. The physiincluding medical intervention, psychology and psychiatric therapy, physiotherapy,
otherapists provide assessment, advice and education and access to social services and
treatment for those with disability. In addistate entitlements.
tion patients are referred from the Com
Training Centre for field workers The Ashirwad Trust is a recognised agency for conducting training for disability field workers and is a human resource training centre. People from Indian disability-related institutions regularly attend training days and field visits held by Ashirwad. Nurses and paramedics in training are sent from colleges in Rajkot and Surendranagar to observe Ashirwad staff and learn how to communicate with and manage those with mental and physical disability.
Social Awareness Programme To build awareness of disability issues the Ashirwad Trust conducts workshops and presentations to inform and connect with society. Midwives, panchyat officers, police, judges and magistrates are trained to ensure carly recognition and fair treatment of those with disabilities
Mental Illness Project Until recently mental illness in the region would mostly go undiagnosed and untreated. In response a new service has been introduced by the Ashirwad Trust, "The Mental Illness Project". During four recent screening camps, 324 cases were registered As a result of this project a psychiatrist visits Surendranagar and Limbdi Civil Hospitals cach month to help diagnose mental illnesses. This service was initiated by Ashirwad alongside a public awareness campaign.
2013 // Janhit 21
