About Cheshire Homes India Coorg in P. B. - 93, Pollibetta, Kodagu

Our Focus
To assist people with disabilities in Kodagu District - to join the mainstream of society with dignity, through education and livelihood opportunities.

Our Work
Cheshire Homes India Coorg, has been working with people with disabilities from low income groups from the year 2000, with the aim of helping them join the mainstream of society with dignity. CHIC started with 6 children with intellectual disabilities and now extends its support to 950 people in 38 villages.

The focus areas are education, economic empowerment, advocacy, health & rehabilitation.
The various programmes that CHIC runs are as follows:
1.The Day Centre
– provides special educational support and functional academics to children with disabilities in Kodagu. Children are provided with preparatory support and included in mainstream schools where ever possible; over the last ten years about 40 children have been included. Various therapeutic activities such as yoga, drama, art, craft and sport are taught to all the children. Based on their disabilities, specific therapy and training is also provided. For example, visually impaired children are taught Braille, mobility & orientation training. Transportation for these children is taken care of by the centre, free of charge.
2. The Sahaya Vocational Centre
- provides 23 students, pre-vocational and vocational training in the sheltered workshop mode. Here products like phenyl and liquid soap are manufactured for institutions and orders are taken for tailored, embroidered, knitted, crochet and paper products.
3.The Orthotic & Prosthetic Unit
– was started in June 2010 and is the only unit in Kodagu. Two individuals with disabilities have been trained as Ortho-technicians at APD, Bangalore to run the unit. They manufacture and repair various assistive devices for people with disabilities in Kodagu, based on the orders received.
4.The Sanitary Towel Unit
– was started in November 2010. In this short time period, manufacturing and sales have started and this unit strives to reach out and assist women from low income groups to take care of their personal hygiene.
5.The Sukh Shanti Community Based Rehabilitation Programme
– was started in 2004 and the project has been working in 38 villages of Kodagu providing rehabilitation services to over 950 people of all disabilities and their families. The main focus areas are:
•Inclusive Education –
for 423 Children with disabilities in mainstream schools. Activities include training teachers to take care of disabled children, home based education, therapy, accessing government facilities, forming childrens clubs with disabled and non-disabled students, puppet shows, accessibility, awareness programmes on disability schemes, child rights for various stakeholders and collaborating with the education department to implement their programmes.
•Economic Empowerment
– 19 Self Help Groups have been formed with 151 people with disabilities and their family members, for micro finance and advocacy. Vocational training and career guidance are provided. People with disabilities have been provided with job placements, trained to be self employed, have been registered at the employment exchange and taken for job fairs.
•Advocacy
– The Self help Groups and the District Federation formed will act as pressure groups to help children and adults with disabilities access government facilities and will fight for their rights. Awareness is provided to various stakeholders throughout society.
•Health & Rehabilitation
– Through awareness, health camps, therapy, assistive devices, surgeries and transfer of skills to caregivers.

Contributions
The progress that Cheshire Homes India, Coorg has made over the last 10 years in helping people with disabilities has mainly been due to the generosity of several individuals and companies, who have contributed their time, talents and funds, to help develop the centre. We believe that no great change can be brought about without the concerted efforts of the entire community. In that spirit, we welcome contributions from everyone in different forms:

1. Volunteers:
Cheshire Homes India Coorg needs the help of people who are willing to volunteer their time and services. These include professionals like physiotherapists, speech therapists, psychologists, special educators. We are also looking for MBA students, or anyone with similar training who are willing to help with office management. Any other members of society who would like to volunteer their services in any of the programmes are most welcome.
Those who are interested may please contact:
Mrs. Gita Chengappa : 08274-248193 / 9880139575
E-mail: chengappagita@gmail.com or cheshirehomesindiacoorg@gmail.com or
cheshirehomesindiacoorg@rediffmail.com

2. Donations:
Cheshire Homes India Coorg, works on a very tight budget and any monetary contributions are most welcome. You may contribute to help make a difference in the life of a child or a person with disability. All donations to Cheshire Homes India, Coorg are exempt from tax under Section 80G of the Indian Income Tax act.