Physical Health India Project #28831

Deliver disability care to 25000-rural Bangalore

by Bangalore Baptist Hospital Society

Project Report | Jan 22, 2018
You brought sunshine and hope to people with disability

By Dr Gift Norman | Deputy Director & Head, Community Health Division

Dakshatha enjoying her time at the centre

Dear donors,

Greetings from Bangalore Baptist Hospital Society!

Thanks for your support! You helped children and people with disability going through very difficult circumstances and challenges turn it around and live with joy, independence, confidence and dignity.

Below are stories of children and persons with disability you made a difference to, during the period October-December 2017. Let these stories inspire you to bring a silver lining to more people with disabilities as we move into a new year!

You helped transform the lives of Munirathnamma and Manjunath!

42-year old Munirathnamma, who has paralysis of her lower limbs due to polio lives with her 80-year old mother. Munirathnamma was completely ignorant of the government entitlements she is eligible to. You helped her get a disability identity card that entitled her to a monthly pension of $ 20.00. Though this might seem minuscule, she's excited about the independence and freedom she enjoys for the first time in her life. With her disability card, she could get further government entitlements. You have given Munirathnamma the confidence that she can look at life more positively.

Manjunath lost his leg in a road accident. He and his wife struggled financially to meet their basic needs and the children’s school expenses. Manjunath was devastated as he could not go to work and battled to find a way to come out of this grim situation. Fortunately, because of donors such as you, we facilitated helped him get access to government entitlements such as a disability identity card, a monthly pension and a modified tricycle. With additional support, Manjunath now has a small convenience store and rears goats as well. With his new tricycle, Manjunath easily commutes to his shop. Your support lifted him out of the pit of misery and hopelessness.

You supported Shashank get a lower limb prosthesis

Shashank, an eight-year-old boy lost his leg in an accident. He was withdrawn and felt lonely. He walked to school with the support of a walker, which was painful. He longed to play with his friends, but he could only watch them play. He stopped mingling with friends. With your support, Shashank could get a lower limb prosthesis. Now, he is able to move around. “ I can play with my friends," says a rejuvenated Shashank.

You supported one child with intellectual disability to receive therapy for one month

“We were overjoyed with the arrival of my daughter. We named her Dakshatha. I could spend the whole day looking at her. Perhaps that’s why I noticed that there’s something abnormal with her – her head was too small. We rushed her to the doctors – who said my little angel has microcephaly. We have never heard this word and didn’t understand. The doctors explained and we were shattered."

"After a few years, the health worker identified our daughter and explained to us about the services of Bangalore Baptist Hospital in collaboration with the District Disability Rehabilitation Centre. This centre offered us counselling and assured us that there was hope for Dakshatha. For the first time in our life, we smiled."

Dakshitha is now regularly brought by her mother for therapy sessions at our centre. "The centre has also given her a modified chair to help improve her posture. Now, Dakshatha always wants to sit outside our house and makes sounds to call all those who pass by. Prior to going to the centre – she was just lying in one place without any movement. Thank you for making this difference to the life of my little angel progress.” says Jagadish, father of Dakshatha.

You supported a mother of a child with intellectual disability to start a livelihood activity

Shoba was shattered when her husband left her soon after he realised that Nandini their daughter was different. Shobah had to fend for herself and somehow with help from the community, she survived. She attended one of our awareness camps along with Nandini and expressed her desire to start a small convenience store. With your support, we helped set up this store and she earns around US$ 40 a month. Along with the pension that Nandini gets, Shoba is able to make ends meet and lead a dignified life.

Thank you for raising up women like Shobha with your kind support!

We greatly appreciate your support. Thank you for making a difference!

We look forward to your continued support so that more lives can be touched and transformed by your kindness.

God Bless!

With gratitude

Gift Norman

Munirathnamma who has a future of dignity

Manjunath with his goats

Shashank with his lower limb prosthesis

Shobha with Nandini - in her small store

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Oct 23, 2017
You gave hope to children & people with disabilty

By Dr Gift Norman | Deputy Director, Head, Community Health Division

Shalini with her mother

Dear donors

Greetings from Bangalore Baptist Hospital Society!

Thank you for helping us restore hope to children and persons with disability. Your support is so crucial to our work – especially in ensuring that children and people with disabilities find ways to access facilities and restore dignity to their lives.

Here’s an update of the impact for the month of September:

Support one child with intellectual disability to receive therapy for six months

“Shalini sleeps like an angel in the night and doesn’t bite her wrist. It’s unbelievable”, says Bharathi, her mother, pointing to the scars on her daughter’s wrist. With your support, Shalini continues to receive therapy which has improve in managing her activities of daily living.

“The therapy classes at DDRC has changed my daughter. Now, Shalini signs when she needs to go to the toilet, identifies colours and recites a few rhymes as well. The health check-up and speech counselling at Baptist Hospital is comforting and meaningful because you make extraordinary efforts,” says Shalini’s mother.

Shalini will continue to receive therapy for another 5 months.

You have changed the future for Shalini - thank you!

Facilitating access to government entitlement

Thus far, we have supported five persons with disability to access government entitlements. It is an uphill task to obtain a certificate of disability that would enable them to access government support. Lack of awareness of such facilities and the remoteness of their villages are challenges that people with disability face. Your support has given them hope and assurance to a new found life.

55-year old Govidaswami received certificate of disability, pension, modified toilet, lower limb prosthesis and a two wheeler
30-year old Bharathi received a certificate of disability, pension, and support for her marriage
10-year old Manjunath received a certificate of disability, pension, and scholarship
40-year old Narayanaswami received housing loan, pension, and ID card
8-year old Lakshmi received a certificate of disability and scholarship.

Thank you for your support that made a difference to their lives.

Supporting one child with intellectual disability to receive therapy for 1 month

When Divya smiles, my heart is filled with hope for a better tomorrow” says Divya's Mother, Savitha. At the age of four, Divya had developed brain fever which affected the left side of her body. Divya would get angry and irritated when her mother couldn’t understand her actions. Fortunately, with your support, there’s hope for this family.

Today, five-year-old Divya always has a smile on her face as she runs around playfully. After attending therapy and sessions she has learned to identify colors and objects. Divya even takes care of her daily activities on her own.

This transformation has brought a perpetual smile to her parents’ face. Thank you!

Providing a lower limb prosthesis or an assistive device for a child

12-year old Nithya always dreamt of becoming a police officer. Her dream was crushed when she was knocked down by a truck while playing with her friends near her home.

When Nithya realised that she had lost a leg, her dreams crashed.

From being a bubbling and active child, she became withdrawn and isolated. It was a slow and painful process for her and the family till they met the team from Bangalore Baptist Hospital. Our staff encouraged the family to attend the camp help by the District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC).

Along with counselling and encouragement, we were able to provide a lower limb prosthesis to Nithya. The joy and relief Nithya experienced are limitless.

“Now I can do my daily activities; I am not asking my mother to help me. I can walk and have begun to play with my friends... my mother has also started going for her work. Once again I’ve begun to dream of becoming a police officer.

You are instrumental for such change in Nithya’s life. Thank you.

So far, the progress has been steady and inspirational. We look forward to your future support to bring meaningful changes in the lives of children and people with disability.

Divya with her mother

Shalini in the best of her mood

Nithyasiri prior to fitting the prosthesis

Nithyasiri undergoing therapy with the prosthesis

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