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Country

India

Import/Export

export

Topic

Zero Project 2019/20

Transfer Model

Status

Amar Seva Sangam is an NGO working in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. They have developed an app where community rehabilitation workers can access support and guidance from rehabilitation specialists. Amar Seva Sangam has trained 1800 existing community rehabilitation workers in rural areas to provide early intervention therapy to children aged 0-6 at home. This addresses gaps in provision in rural areas and ensures children receive quality therapies. Their next step is scaling the project across the state with the support of local government in 2019-20.

You can discover their presentation at the Zero Project Conference here

Solution

The project offers community rehabilitation workers (CRWs) a three-day orientation, followed by a ten-day base training programme. Here, rehabilitation specialists such as physiotherapists and special educators teach basic knowledge and give demonstrations.
Following base training, the CRWs have enrichment training every six months, including lectures, hands-on learning, and group work.
The CRWs receive ongoing support through the Mobile Village-Based Rehabilitation – Early Intervention app. The app has learning modules that CRWs can use to educate themselves and the family members of the children they support.
Rehabilitation specialists do an initial assessment of a child and enter their findings into the app, setting treatment goals and therapeutic protocols to be followed. CRWs implement the treatment plan, and specialists track progress using standardized developmental tools for motor, cognitive, mobility, and speech skills embedded in the app. Rehabilitation specialists visit each child once a month jointly with the CRW, providing therapy for the child and training for both the CRW and the child’s parents.

Impact

Over 47,000 children have been screened for delayed development.

Over 2,000 caregivers have been supported, with 74 per cent reporting decreased strain and 62 per cent having improved interactions with their children.

Over 1,100 children have received early intervention therapy

Transfer Model

Funding from the government of Tamil Nadu and Grand Challenges Canada in 2019–2020 will expand the programme to 2,100 additional children; and further government funding will allow other NGOs to scale the programme across the state.

The project’s ultimate aim is to cover all children with developmental disabilties living in rural Tamil Nadu (estimated at 54,000) by 2030.

Further Info

Contact Person: Sankara Raman Srinivasan, Honorary Secretary, secretary.amar@amarseva.org

Website

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