Since 1995, the Institute For Helping The Disabled (IFHD) in Bhubaneswar has worked to reach families who have never had access to disability services. Much of this begins before any child arrives at our school or centre, in the villages and panchayats where disability is often met with silence or misunderstanding. Public education is the first step in showing that disability is not inability.
Our field teams carry out door-to-door surveys in identified panchayats to find children who need help, many of whom would otherwise go unrecognised. Alongside these surveys we hold parent orientation camps, where families learn what support is available and how early action can change a child's future. These meetings also give parents a place to ask questions and share concerns without judgement.
To make this knowledge lasting, we have published practical guides for families and educators, including the booklet Disability is not Inability. We also collaborate with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) on training curricula for educators, so that trained teachers reach communities well beyond our own programmes.
The aim of this work is straightforward: to prevent avoidable disability, to reduce the stigma that keeps children hidden, and to promote inclusion in communities across Odisha. When a family understands that a child with a disability can learn, take part, and belong, the whole community begins to change.