Hope is non-profit, non-commercial voluntary organization dedicated to the welfare of the mentally challenged. Established in 1996, the founder and managing trustee of HOPE
Mrs V.Rani is a social worker. She has worked for ten years in various reputed Social welfare organisation. The Institute operates a day-care and residential center for boys and girls with mental disability.
Tailor-made educational programs provide these students with basic life skills and fundamental concepts that will help them function as independently as possible on a day-to-day basis. The Institute started with 2 students in 1996, today the Institute is serving 150 mentally challenged persons. The boys and girls are accomadated in two separate buildings with a common dining facility.
Self Help Care:
MR people and family are the base of rehabilitation (MRBR) using the concept of Democracy : By MR people, For MR people and Belong to MR people. Self Help Care technique teaches the MR people “to stand on their feet” by self-learning, self-management, and self-organizing.
There are six strategies for building up “Self Help Care”:
1. Problem solving
2. Self learning
3. Self doing
4. Exchanging and transferring knowledge
5. Forming group / organization
6. Expansion
All over the world, Mental Retardation is one of the biggest mental ailments to humans. It seems that the tendency of mental retardation is increasing because the knowledge of physical and mental development is rapidly expanding not only among the medical personnel but also spreading through the globalizing mass media with highly efficient information technology.People become more aware of health concerns, learn more, do more and participate more with modern technology playing a big part.
In India, the incidences of early cases of mental retardation are increasing which makes it more essential for mental development training and rehabilitation for their quality of life. Only 20-30% of MR people have been cared.
Even though service has expanded, the mentally retarded people still have problems in accessibility due to several problems as follows:
1. Economy: Poverty is hindering service approach. Some families are busy trying to make both ends meet. They have no time and money to bring their children / child to centers that caters for mentally retarded individuals.
2. Culture and tradition: They believe in karma. Disability is viewed as a result of “One’s past deeds”. No way to improve let it be as they are. Their parents are shy to expose their children and keep them in the house, preventing them from having a social life. Some have been looked down upon by individuals/groups.They have been teased, which hence explains why they are kept behind closed doors.
3. Education: The understanding in mental retardation development is difficult for them. We are continuously been trying to educate the mentally retarded by visiting and through publications, pamphlet, newspapers, television, etc. Special education division has curriculums on mental retardation for special education teachers. Teachers have been spreading the word in schools at district level. But there is a problem in that the MR children are limited in the co-study class.
4. Public relationship : Communication is one of the problems. Even though in India, there are several kinds of mass media but programs concerning Mentally retardation are very rare or being left out. They have only in unpopular education channel and radio. This is the cause of limit in self learning for the MR families.
5. Communication : MR People have less communication skill. They have been kept in house with limited communication to neighbors because they are notMethodology of Self Help Care for MR People well accepted among friends, especially the children at the same age.
6. Transportation: It is one of the limitations for the MR people in the village who have chance in training in the school. The MR people still have accessible problem to the training center of MR.
7. Religion : In India many people are Hindus,Christians and Muslims who are generous and forgiving. The religious persons will be kind to the MR people physically, mentally and spiritually.
8. Health Concern : Some families have no health concern. On the other hand,some families have over health concern and over protection until MR children loss their opportunity for self practice.
9. Advocacy : There are limited number of NGO advocating for MR people because of limits to the budget. Government pays 500 Stipend per month for registered disabled people. Another problem is that there is small help from the foreign countries due to lack of communication and no strong international project on MR people assistance.
10. Community Participation : Main problems of community are no concern, no budget, no policy on helping MR people, and the variation in leadership and community managerial skill, etc.
11. Policy : The Indian Government has political views on assistance towards disability more in physical disability but less in mental disabilities.
12. Sociality : Nowadays, the sociality is moving towards “materialism” because of many factors, such as competition in business, more industrialization, changing social life, especially currency of materialism all over the world.
“More material more power” “Materialism up moralism down”
Our Activities
- Awareness creation of Mentally Retarded Children among the public through Electronic Media – Telecasted through Sun TV. 2009 (Kolangal Serial)
- Women’s Blood Donation camp organized jointly along with Lions Club International on 02nd Nov 2009. Published through The Hindu Newspaper (Attached)
- Free Occupational Therapy for Mentally Retarded Children through Rotary Hospital Ambattur.
- Awareness creation of Mentally retardation among Urban & Rural Public and briefing about the various Government schemes.
- Sponsorship of Monthly expenses for five special children through Lioness club
- Sponsorship of Physiotheraphy Equipments through State Bank of India (Community Development) – 2008
- State commissioner for the disabled–Sponsorship of Feeding grant & Special educator salary for the year 2007,2008 2009 (Attachment Utilization Certificate)
A GRANT BLOOD DONATION CAMP FOR WOMEN SPONSORED BY HOPE TRUST
Ambattur, Chennai, Nov:2
An important event on the city had took place on Monday (02.11.2009) at the Hope Special School campus for Mentally Challenged and Disabled students near Ambattur O.T., Bus Stand terminus. It was nothing other “Blood Donation Camp” for the one and only women donors”.
The event commenced with an inaugural function under the leadership of Mr. Kumaravel, (Ambattur Asst. Commissioner). In his speech he quoted that “He is very proud of being a part of such a special camp as an attempt to create awareness about blood donation among teen girls and women. He also annotated that “This effort is a mile stone in the history of due development of Hope trust” The trust has been the trade mark of dedicated service rendered towards thousands of students who are trained for various life oriented course namely Nursing, Tailoring, Cosmetics and Gym as a recipient govt aided Stipend of about 600 trained students of the trust about 250 have visited the blood donation camp on the same day with their mothers and donated the blood voluntarily, The event was also assisted by officials and members of Lion’s Blood Bank and Research Foundation, Sociologists and Public to donate their blood.
The event was also gestured by dignitaries like Ex. M.P A. Krishnaswamy, Ambattur D.M.K, Secretary Joseph Samuel and Avadi D.M.K Secretary M. Nazar. In his speech A. Krishnaswamy has quoted that “He had been observing due voluntary activities of the trust and the continual practice of obstacles and the deserving recipient of the reward for the hard work rendered by Lion Nagarani (Managing Trustee), Teaching & Non-Teaching Faculty and colleagnes etc amidst of the hurdles like using the rented building for the past few years for the benefit and good self of their beloved Mentally Challenged Children.
He also added a foot note that Hope Special School is in due need of an own building for running the school with about 45 Special children and the steps to fulfill the need of the home will be taken.
Followed by his speech Mr. M. Nazar, (D.M.K, Secretary) delivered a speech inclusive of the thought that the new starter for such an attempt should extend its boundary towards districts and state from city level and also applauded the school by his heartfelt wishes.
It was a wonderful moment to have T. Sounder, Avadi D.M.K Assistant Secretary, P. Dheenan, Mr. Sekar, Mr. S.kannan all Municipal councilors Building Contractor Dhananjeyan, Lion. Samsumeeran, Lion A. Madam to precide over the function.
Last but not the least, Lion. V.Nagarani Anbazhagan, Managing Trustee, Hope Trust have rendered her gratitude and vote of thanks to the dignitaries, donars, participants for their auspicious presence in the blood donation camp and requested the audience to render their co-operation in the forth coming days too in the validicatory session.
For Further details contact:
Mrs. V. Nagarani
Hope Special School for Mentally Retarded
@37A, Sarangapani Street, Krishnapuram,
Ambattur O.T., Chennai – 53
Phone: 044 – 26586066 / 9841330330
Location Map: