FAMILY’S PERSPECTIVEONSOCIAL INCLUSION presented during 2nd Joint Asian Conference of International Council for Education of Visual Impairment and Deafblind International at Ahmedabad, Gujaraton on April 5-7, 2013 by Pauzagin Tonsing Centre for Community Initiative (CCI) Churachandpur, Manipur www.communityinitiate.org

2. FAMILY’S PERSPECTIVE
ON
SOCIAL INCLUSION
2nd Joint Asian Conference of International Council for Education
of Visual Impairment and Deafblind International
at Ahmedabad, Gujarat
on April 5-7, 2013
|
Pauzagin Tonsing
Centre for Community Initiative (CCI)
Churachandpur, Manipur
www.communityinitiate.org

3. “People said to me,
‘What sins have you
committed to be cursed
with a disabled child?’
and I stay clear of the
society to protect myself and
my child.”

4. Born as individual but come
together and form a group –
family, friends, society,
community, etc. Forming group
means belonging, sharing,
participating, adapting,
connecting, opportunities,
security, etc
as we are social being

5. In a society where a person
with disabilities is looked upon
as a retribution for past
misdeeds, how would the
person and his family ever have
a place in a society? How
would they fit all in in one size
fits all society?

6. To expect the unconditional love
of parents and family from a
society which has not been
sensitized on the issues of
disability, more often than not
leads to disappointment and
frustration for the parents and
family members.

7. It was upto the family to help
create an inclusive society for
their children.

8. However, some parents of
persons with disabilities have a
concept that they are to be pitied
and need others help, in which
case they usually feel “unable”
and have a low sense of self-
esteem.

9. Yes, the experiences of living with
a differently-abled individual is a
uniquely subjective one. The
family’s role in creating an
inclusive society will depend on
whether they view disability as
an impediment or
as a variant of ‘-ability’.

10. With parents viewing disability
as a variant of ‘-ability’, they
must get the world to try feel
and try imagine as parents and
family do!
Only then can many many more
try to do something...

11. I, for one, a doting father of a boy
with visual impairment of 7 years ...
for all my care and closeness know as
good as nothing of what my dear son
is going through, and nothing
whatsoever about what he wants out
of life!
But, let me take you to the case of
our struggle for including us in the
society

12. impediment

14. In 2006, we start visiting other
parents of children with disabilities
at their home. Then, we began an
informal group meeting, who
shared and discussed the various
hardships we faced in caring our
child.

15. The group provided the much
needed moral support and
confidence where we found
comfort in our common
experiences.

16. A campaign was begun to make
parents break away from their fear
of society’s scrutiny and put their
child’s needs first.
Parents who look disability as an
‘impediment’ are counselled.

17. As there is no service or support
where we can seek advice in the
District, we empower ourselves by
obtaining information through
books, internet and random mails
to various organisation who gave
us valuable advice.

18. Later, it was felt necessary to
 make the larger society aware of our
experiences.
make people aware of the challenges that
we are facing
 make them empathize with our
circumstances, and not to stigmatize
Make them understand disability,
So we approach CBOs through various
means

19. Yes, they were looked upon with
sympathy and kind words and
words like ‘blessing in disguise’
were used to infer to them.
It has impact to some extend
though CBOs and civil society
has limitation.

20. By 2009, things became less
bleak as a result of the campaigns
and people became more
receptive to the idea that it is a
part of their social and moral
duty to help persons with
disabilities.

21. In 2010, one major break through
was the help extended by the
church which is the single most
powerful institution and most
influential in the society.

22. Video Clip
Tuailai 2010 which coincided with World Disability Day
(December 3)
First time in the District, Persons with Disabilities are
given platform in such a conference

23. As the parents became more
aware of the need of a school
where we can send our children,
by the beginning of 2010, around
10 parents who were genuinely
interested in starting such a school
began a campaign

24. The traditional perception of
disability as opposed to the
scientific explanation still persisted
within the community and the
campaign for starting a school was
looked upon with scepticism and
ridicule.

25. However, with the support and
constant encouragement of
intellectuals with liberated
thoughts and the District
Administration, a school for the
‘malsawmte’ (blessed ones),
THE MALSAWM INITIATIVE
(A School for Children with Special
Needs)
was started in 2011.

26. So, i would not be standing here had not
God blessed me with Malsawm,
And i stand here because of other parents
of malsawm joined hands
Due to which the society could feel their
moral duty towards malsawmte
And make malsawmte as one of them.

27. To conclude,
People said to the mother that
they would take the girl for
practising choir while she is not in
the school and take her to church
on Sunday.

28. “People said to me,
‘What sins have you
committed to be cursed
with a disabled child?’
and I stay clear of the
society to protect myself and
my child.”

29. THANK YOU