Mumbai project aims to bring international therapies, training to disabled kids in India

A project called Treat a Child aims to bring international therapies and treatment to children with disabilities in India.

Jasmeet Arora and Vinod Tiwari launched Hi 5 Child Development Center (CDC) in Mumbai in 2011 with the aim to reach out to as many children with disabilities as possible. Jasmeet, who has a 15-year-old niece with cerebral palsy, was well aware of the many barriers such children face in India.

She along with partner Vinod, has started on a new project called Treat a Child under which 10 children with different types of disabilities are given free therapies. The sessions are being held in partnership with Akhil Autism Foundation run by Manisha Mahesh in the United States.

Under this project, therapists and parents work together to empower the child. These include cranio-sacral, brain gym and movement-based learning andBEMER, all of which are registered therapies. Children with learning disabilities like dyslexia and dyspraxia as well as autism, cerebral palsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are included as well. All kids between the ages of one to 18 years from economically backward families can access treatment.

Therapies that are used exclusively in the US and Europe have been introduced for the first time in India. The idea of ‘Treat a Child’ is not to make money, but to offer the best treatment to children with disabilities. There are many children who needs help but are not able to get it due to many reasons. ‘Treat a Child’ wants to reach out to such children. –Jasmeet Arora, Co-founder, Treat the Child

Three therapists at the Mumbai centre aim to integrate the special therapies into one so children get the best results. “We believe that Treat a Child has given hope to many parents who have children with severe disabilities because they are now seeing some amazing results. We hope to continue this project and help many families as we can, says co-founder Vinod Tiwari.

The two partners are now planning to start a new venture with Sols Arc, a centre for children with developmental disorders in Mumbai. This is for older children with disabilities who have finished class 10 and are unsure of what to do nest. “We will train six youngsters to become certified nursery teachers. They will be provided with ample training through which they can teach mostly nursery kids. We are working on this project which will soon be made into a reality, says Jasmeet.

Rinku Poojara, who has a 14-year-old son with epilepsy and ADHD says Jas, as Jasmeet is affectionately called, knows exactly what parents and kids need.

“Over the last seven years, I have been struggling to provide my son with the right guidance. We have been looking for a hand to hold onto and I would recommend Jas and her therapies to every parent. Now my son loves the therapies and it makes him feel rejuvenated”, says Rinku.

CONTACT: Email at Reach.hifive@gmail.com.

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