Milita |
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A capacity building and advocacy project with disabled people and the Timbaktu Collective |
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| Milita - rehabilitation therapy at home |
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| Milita - rehabilitation therapy at home with mum and little sister |
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At the end of 2005 the 3-year project called Milita (a Telugu word meaning 'inclusion'), which DDP and the Timbaktu Collective (TC) had been developing together for over a couple of years started its activities. Reaching disabled people in 144 villages, Milita’s aim is to empower disabled people through the formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs), which are autonomous entities responsible for a variety of activities. Following training for SHG members and office bearers, these activities include organising rehabilitation services and managing micro credit schemes and so far 40 SHGs have been established.
TC work closely with Mobility India, who provide rehabilitation services such as callipers and therapy and organise corrective surgery where needed. The micro credit schemes involve SHG members saving 10 Rupees (about 13p) per week which eventually qualifies them to take out a loan from the group.
The purpose of loans is to help disabled people and their families to develop secure and sustainable livelihoods (for instance by buying agricultural tools and equipment or starting a small business).
SHGs are then formed into mandal-wide Federations which are platforms for collective representation to protect and promote disabled people’s rights and one example of the Federation’s success was in petitioning the District Collector (the most senior local government official) on behalf of members with hearing impairments which resulted with over 50 people being issued with disability certificates which are the key to unlocking the benefits that do exist for disabled people in India.
Right now, DDP are working to develop a programme to extend Milita so that more disadvantaged disabled people in Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh can be supported to break free of poverty. |
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