Since its days of inception, VIkash has been working to extend help to disadvantaged communities in their effort towards development. The first task was to integrate the leprosy affected persons in the society and extend them support for their physical and economic rehabilitation. Vikash had led the advocacy programme related to leprosy elimination all over the state of Orissa. While working for the leprosy patients and for their rehabilitation in the society Vikash also felt the necessity to help in rehabilitation of other disabled persons and started working for them.









“NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US” is the philosophy of work. Vikash starts its work by promoting People’s Association at village, cluster, district and state level. People with different kinds of disability form associations of their own to advocate for their rights. Vikash further takes steps for maximizing their potentialities, educate them, help them to be productive citizens and finally emerge as the leaders of the society.



Vikash primarily believes in rehabilitation of the disabled persons in the community itself, not in special homes or special institutions. Usually whenever we try to develop a person in a protected and isolated institution he usually develops a culture of dependency. Hence, in contrast to institution based rehabilitation we work towards community based rehabilitation.



People’s Associations: Vikash is a right based organization working for capacity building of the community based organizations. Vikash facilitates local and regional association building. The associations are encouraged and supported to advocate for the rights of the disabled people. We expect the disabled people not only to lead themselves but also to take leadership of the society. Vikash has facilitated and strengthened formation of CBOs named “AKSHAYAM SANGATHAN”, a federated body of village level organization for the disabled persons. Till now 13 such associations have been formed in Orissa.



Maximizing Potentialities: Vikash aims at maximizing the potentialities of the disabled people by developing their physical strength. The aim behind this is to enhance their ability to walk, to see, to hear, to talk, to move around, to learn and to enjoy. Vikash has set up a unique professionally managed residential care centre named Mukti Kiran in Koraput District of Orissa with the support of “National Trust” Govt. of India.
Residential care institutions are managed for temporary intensive therapy and for the severely disabled person. Apart from a pleasant stay; the institutions have specialists like Occupational Therapists, Special Educators, Orthotic and Prosthetic Engineers, Speech Therapists and Psychologists. Assistive and
Adoptive devices are adopted on the basis of requirement. The institutions provide both short term (Respite care) and long term (Residential care) stay for the inhabitants, which includes both adult and children suffering from disabilities like Mental Retardation, Cerebral Palsy, Autism and multiple disabilities.
A more holistic concept has been actualized at Bhubaneswar, capital city of Orissa. The institute here provides opportunities to increase physical strength of the body through therapy and healthy food. There are also facilities for Massage, Meditation and Cool Music. It recognizes every faculty of human beings – body, mind and spirit as valuable and supreme. It creates a space where people can be in touch with themselves and celebrate their existence. It is an organic place with limited opportunities for chemicals.



Education: Inclusive education is a key theme of the mission of Vikash. Preparatory schools are organized at community level. The schools are managed by the local trained volunteers. Behavioral training is extended to socialize with peer groups and adults. They are regularly supported by therapist and rehabilitation managers. The children with different kinds of impairments like Speech, Hearing, Orthopaedic, MR, CP, epilepsy attend these schools. They are then integrated to the general schooling and learning system along with other children. These children after getting admission into general schools also visit the preparatory schools for a year or so for upgrading their learning and behavioural skills.
Tutorial and study material support is given to the needy children. Support is extended for availing Government’s scholarship, disability certificate and Orissa Disabled Pension to disabled students. Orientation and training programmes are organized for the teachers of general schools on the methods of adopting the disabled children into the mainstream. The peer groups of the children with disabilities are also oriented on the subject. The community is oriented for making appropriate behavior to the disabled children.



Economic Empowerment: Economic rehabilitation is the ultimate effort in achieving independent living. Vikash facilitates economic empowerment programmes by organizing vocational training programmes, EDP training, arranging credit through self-help groups and supporting group based micro-enterprise programmes. Self help groups of disabled persons are formed at village level and their unions are formed at block level. These unions work in collaboration with the women’s self help unions.
Vikash had initiated a training-cum production unit for the electronic items employing disabled leprosy-affected women from leprosy colonies. It had tied up with reputed electronic companies like Konark T.V and IPTRON Times for production of spare parts and finished products such as T.V, cassette players etc. It was a breath taking step in those days.
Many such Economic Rehabilitation programmes like stone carving, coir training, appliqué work, tailoring etc have helped the disabled people to earn their own living. In this way they also contribute to the society.



Social Empowerment: Vikash has facilitated the formation of many CBOs with a focus to change the negative attitude of community members towards PWDs. As the achievements of disabled persons become more evident, the community’s attitude towards them becomes more positive. Vikash has also made interventions to increase the participation of family and other community members in the rehabilitation process, capacity building and advocacy for rights. It has also given handholding support to 10 NGO’s for undertaking CBR programmes. Vikash initiated a state level forum of NGO’s and associations called “Orissa Forum for Differently Abled” for consolidated advocacy in the state.



Activities organized by us for achieving the results.