About Anandini

‘Anandini’ means ‘Joy’

Started with the primary objective of working in the field of disability, Anandini aspires to spread joy & happiness as it unfolds its wings.

Anandini aims to reach out and touch the lives of people with disabilities, their families and professionals associated with the field of disability.

Children with disabilities have a special place within Anandini’s mandate.

Sectors like education and health that have a direct impact and bearing on disability fall within the scope of Anandini’s work.

Disability in India is still deeply mired in myths… and people with disabilities and their families face an absolute lack of information about disability, about where to go and what to do. There are many who go through a long wait, exploring various avenues before realizing that there are special facilities, services and opportunities that they can access… Anandini aims to fill this gap and ensure that information permeates to the levels where it is most needed and when it is needed.

Anandini works across the spectrum - from the grassroots level to the level of advocacy. Through this work it attempts to create awareness, sensitize people -dissipate myths and bring about a change in how disability is perceived.

Anandini’s philosophy and belief is steeped in the rights perspective – laying emphasis on the rights of persons with disabilities and it ensures that this is reflected in all its programmes and projects.

Persons with disabilities have a right to lead a life of dignity and independence and to get the necessary opportunities, information, support and services in order to maximize their potential. Through its work, Anandini strives to ensure that society recognizes their abilities, respects diversity and supports them to live a life of dignity –Anandini supports and enables persons with disabilities to optimize their potential and to realize their right to live life on an equal basis with their non-disabled peers.

Anandini works cross disability… and beyond.

It reaches-out to children and persons with:

• Dyslexia and other Learning disabilities

• Intellectual disabilities

• Cerebral Palsy and

• Multiple disabilities

Essentially Anandini works cross-disabilty.

Anandini works at various levels and reaches out to children and persons with disabilities directly, as well as through service-providers that impact the lives of people with disabilities. It reaches-out to:

• • Schools – mainstream schools- both government and private; as well as special schools

  • Professionals – school principals, teachers, doctors, special educators

  • Policy makers – to enable a sustained dialogue and sharing of ideas that could perhaps lead to better and more effective policies to address the needs of people

  • Persons with disabilities and their families to enable access to information and to their rights

  • Organizations working in the field of disability, education, health and other related sectors.

  • Other stakeholders

AIMS

Anandini…

• Conducts teacher-training workshops in schools and organisations on Disability and issues connected with disability including Education, Legal rights.

• Promotes awareness about disability and disability concerns through information material, lectures, workshops, seminars, parent meetings, teacher training sessions

• Conducts information-sharing workshops, training sessions with people with disabilities, their families and professionals about the Rights of persons with disabilities

• Reaches out with direct services to people who require them and facilitates access to services through linkages and referrals

• Conducts Research and takes on research projects in the areas of education, special education, disability, learning disability, dyslexia, legal rights of the disabled and other disciplines related to disability and education. The research that Anandini conducts is into issues that directly impact the lives of persons with disabilities, especially children. It is with the objective of making a difference – by taking the findings back to the target group and informing them; generating ideas, views and opinions on the issue and creating a platform for advocacy.

• Creates, collates, publishes and disseminates information material on issues that impact disability and persons with disabilities in easy-to–understand language and in accessible formats

• Documents work in the area of disability and related areas such as education, law, human rights and psychology. Compiles this information and prepares reports; impact evaluation studies. Prepares documents and writes papers for dissemination, discussion and generating action points for further action and advocating for change.

Anandini aims to bring about a change in how disability and people with disability are viewed in society. It works with people with disabilities to translate this into reality.

Drawing parallels with a quote from ‘Illusions’ by Richard Bach : “What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly” …

Anandini aspires to be this change and the butterfly in the logo signifies the emergence of this change…