EMPOWERMENT
Education is the primary tool for empowering any marginalized community, including persons with disability.
The history of special schools in Kolkata dates back to the last decade of the 19th century. Organizations managed these institutions with charity as their main outlook. They did not observe a need for a shift in their policy, and the fact that disabled persons themselves needed to assert their rights was out of contention.
For us at PRPS, empowerment means representing the hopes and dreams of disabled individuals and developing a society that is free of inequalities.
What?
For us at PRPS, empowerment means reflecting the ambitions and dreams of handicapped people and working to create a society free of inequities.
Through multiple activities, we, along with many other similar organizations, have been working on an empowerment process that helps persons with disability to gain control of their lives through educational, economic, and healthcare improvements.
Why?
The idea of empowerment has transformed to newer levels in recent times as marginalized communities are becoming aware and the world as a community realizes its responsibilities.
Today, many people and organizations speak about the rights, education, economic security, capacity building, and skill development of marginalized communities, including persons with disabilities.
Why?
The idea of empowerment has transformed to newer levels in recent times as marginalized communities are becoming aware and the world as a community realizes its responsibilities.
Today, many people and organizations speak about the rights, education, economic security, capacity building, and skill development of marginalized communities, including persons with disabilities.
How?
We started focusing on the education of persons with disability in early as 1990. To date, we have organized 17 special schools operational in different districts of West Bengal.
Almost all the 17 schools are now aided by the government of West Bengal, while we also route our funds for the upliftment of facilities in all the schools. It should also be noted that PRPS was the sole funding and management agency till these schools were aided later by the government of West Bengal.
Our Achievements
- On the path of managing special schools, we realized the existence of the high demand and supply gap for special educators. The realization guided us in establishing special B. Ed and D. Ed programs.
- PRPS started its first RCI recognized B.Ed college in 2005, and within a decade of its operations, the college produced around 400 special educators.
- We have also established and have been managing a general B.Ed college since 2005. As of now our B.ED colleges have an annual intake of more than 150 and 1600 educators have graduated from our colleges and are posted at different institutions, including government colleges.
- Between 2008 and 2010, when the course was operational, PRPS has trained and engaged around 300 health workers who are providing healthcare services even in the remotest villages of West Bengal.
- We have also partnered with credible organizations such as the Autism Society of West Bengal and Noble Mission in setting up schools for special children. To date, 1000 children with mental disabilities have benefitted through our association.
- In 2016, PRPS, along with one of its associate organizations, established an evening coaching center and a computer training center for children from underprivileged sections.
- In 2017, PRPS associated with the Autism Society of WestBengal to organize community-based parent training programs that are continuing to date.
EMPOWERING BY NURTURING TALENTS
While education is a major instrument for empowerment, we also believe in honing natural talents such as art, craft, music, dance, sports, and others. We sponsor individuals with such talents and assist them with the necessary resources and platforms for success.
Our Process:
- Every alternate year, we organize a talent search program that aims at identifying talents and honing them to make a career path that will empower their lives.
- Another area of empowerment we encourage is sports. We offer sponsorships and financial assistance for the training and tournament participation of disabled sports persons.
- We also organize national and international sporting events for the disabled. We have also been the proud organizers of the international series for blind cricket. In 2009, we organized a bilateral series of blind cricket between India and Bangladesh. The matches were played in Eden Garden, a cricket stadium of international repute and the second-largest globally.
- In an attempt to create Paralympians among the winners, we offer economic assistance to them by sponsoring them with sports gear, travel assistance gears, nutrition support, and short-term residential training. We also felicitate the winners of national and international level championships.
EMPOWERING BY SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
We consider entrepreneurship as an effective measure of empowerment. We help individuals in upgradation of technical and entrepreneurship skills and also finance them for self-employment ventures. Some of the skill development and entrepreneurship initiatives undertaken by us are as follows.
- Each year 10 selected persons with disability entrepreneurs are trained andfinancially assisted since 2000.
- As part of our Community-Based Rehabilitation initiative, we have established a soya chunk factory, tailoring unit, and terra cotta unit and also offer hatchery and craft training on pilot mode. Around 550 people have benefitted through the initiatives to date.
- In 2010, PRPS started a goatery and vermin-compost plant at North Dinajpur in which 10 persons with disability are employed.
EMPOWERING BY SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
We consider entrepreneurship as an effective measure of empowerment. We help individuals in upgradation of
technical and entrepreneurship skills and also finance them for self-employment ventures. Some of the skill development and entrepreneurship initiatives undertaken by us are as follows.
- Each year 10 selected persons with disability entrepreneurs are trained andfinancially assisted since 2000.
- As part of our Community-Based Rehabilitation initiative, we have established a soya chunk factory, tailoring unit, and terra cotta unit and also offer hatchery and craft training on pilot mode. Around 550 people have benefitted through the initiatives to date.
- In 2010, PRPS started a goatery and vermin-compost plant at North Dinajpur in which 10 persons with disability are employed.
EMPOWERING BY EMPLOYMENT
While education plays an important role in empowerment, it is essential that the persons are empowered through employment, as it makes a person financially self-sustainable and such individuals set an example for others within the community of persons with disability. It is significant to note that PRPS often organizes annual job fair for persons with disability. On an average 150 persons with disability participate in each such event.
EMPOWERMENT
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