Founded 1984

By the time it was ready to celebrate its silver jubilee, APD services were recognised all over Bangalore among families who had children with disabilities. Requests increased from them for medical intervention and education for their children. It became clear to APD that we had to come up with a meaningful viable plan to reach out to these families who asked for help but could not travel all the way to APD. Urban Slum Outreach Programme (USOP) was the answer. The first year saw activities in the slums of Neelasandra and Srirampuram. Today they are working in 19 major slums in Bangalore, working directly with 950 people with disability and reaching out 13500 people in the community.Experience has taught USOP the dynamics of working in urban slums. Families of children with disability are confronted with various interrelated social issues and problems. For these families, disability was only one among innumerable problems of everyday survival. By adopting community based rehabilitation, the programme.

Urban Slums

People living in slums are usually unable to afford even the basics in life –as a result of which medical care and education takes a backseat. If any member of the family has a disability, then circumstances can be very trying. The lack of accessible care and support services related to disabilities only adds to their woes.

APD’s Urban Slum Outreach Programme, (USOP)established in 1984, is realizing the twin objectives of taking the reach of its services beyond the campus gates and impacting the lives of people with disabilities living in slums. 

It has appointed change agents by way of Community Based Rehabilitation Workers (CBRWs) who work at different levels to usher the dawn of hope, albeit gradually, in the lives of people with disabilities and their families.

The CBRWs begin their work by identifying children and people with disabilities in different slums. They speak to the parents or respective families about APD, document the type of disability and then take forward the process of change. The dynamics of the slums, access to hospitals and schools, and attitudes are also taken into consideration.

In addition to regular home visits to ascertain needs or review progress, the CBRWs organize sensitization programmes or camps within slums or in accessible venues. The USOP gives special focus to people with severe disability and particularly women, reaching out the most vulnerable and stigmatized in slums.

The people with disabilities and families are sensitized about their rights, social entitlements and capacity building strategies. These programmes are also attended by animators, drawn from the families of the community. They are APD’s agent-in-residence of sorts as they maintain the momentum of work and an able source to CBRWs. Together with  volunteers, they work on holistic issues impacting the lives and livelihoods of people with disabilities. These include:

Education

• Liaison with schools for admission to children with disabilities,
• Training teachers of local schools for better integration of children with disabilities in the mainstream education programme.

Medical interventions

• Provision of therapy, mobility aids and hearing aids.
• Linkages with local hospitals

Vocational training and placement

• Organizing vocational training and income generating programmes
• Liaison with companies for placement for people with disabilities.
• Supporting in arranging finances to self-managed small scale enterprises.