New Delhi, December 09, 2023: The Hans Foundation (THF) celebrated the ten-year milestone of its Cochlear Implant program aimed at empowering children with disabilities through various inclusive development interventions. This occasion was further marked by the signing of an MoU with IIT Delhi to provide scholarships for students with disabilities and the unveiling of a new Mobile Therapy Bus to enhance ongoing door-to-door supportive services to children and adults with disability in Noida in collaboration with NIEPID.
The Hans Foundation, established in 2009, has been working to empower marginalized and underprivileged communities with a focus on the health and well-being of all. The foundation provides access to quality primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare for underserved populations, with a special focus on child health disability rights, specifically, have also long been an area of cross-sector focus for the foundation, and the foundation continues to work towards a life filled with dignity and devoid of discrimination for persons with disabilities.
Under its Cochlear Implant Program, THF has supported devices, surgeries, and therapy for more than 1200 children in the last decade, working in partnership with premier hospitals across the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Shweta Rawat, Chairperson and Founder, The Hans Foundation said, “Every child is born with the potential to achieve great things. In a world brimming with diversity, it is vital that every child has access to the resources and support they need from the very beginning of their lives. Inclusion for people with disabilities is not just about physical accessibility but about creating a society that understands, accepts, and embraces diversity in all its forms. We need to recognise that disability is dynamic, requiring different forms of support at various stages. For true system transformation - collaboration is key, as is a lifecycle approach to care which starts with early identification and intervention.”
Drawing from the success of THF's mobile medical units program, which operates over 360 mobile clinics across 6000 villages in 8 states, THF has launched the Mobile Therapy Bus, starting from Noida. Equipped with advanced tools, these buses provide comprehensive care for a variety of disabilities as defined in the RPWD Act, 2016. Working in collaboration with the NIEPID, the initiative aims to promote better health and social inclusion for persons with disabilities through community outreach. Operational in Noida with 2 buses, the foundation plans to take the idea to Mumbai, Kolkata, and Ghaziabad in the coming year.
Dr. Amrita Sahay, Officer-in-charge, NIEPID Noida, highlighted the importance of a family-centered approach sharing, “In addressing parental challenges with children's disabilities, we recognize the initial stages of shock and denial. Whether it's a childhood disability, spectrum disorder, or sensory impairment, this emotional crisis can be overwhelming. Parent counselling and family therapy play a crucial role in navigating challenges. Preparing for challenges like school admissions is equally vital, achieved through community programs, teacher training, and a three-tiered education service model for comprehensive academic support.”
In addition to its initiative, THF has also formalized a strategic partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD) through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), creating “The Hans Scholarship for Inclusive Education”. This program will financially support ten undergraduates with disabilities, and from low-income families, in the B.Tech/Dual program at IITD for four years, ensuring accessibility needs, including laptops, as well as any applicable fees.
THF also recently formalized an ongoing partnership with AIIMS to develop state-of-the-art facilities by setting up an Early Childhood Development & Neurorehabilitation Centre at AIIMS, New Delhi, to allow children with disabilities to access needed services from across departments and specializations under a single roof.
