Tiruchi among five districts for World Bank’s RIGHTS Project

Spastics Society of Tiruchi has been working for 40 years in the field of rehabilitation

Tiruchi is among five districts in Tamil Nadu selected by the World Bank’s ‘RIGHTS project’ entailing financial aid worth $162 million to strengthen social protection systems and capability of the State to empower persons with disability (PwD).

Jacintha Lazarus, Commissioner for Welfare of the Differently Abled, said this while addressing the 40th anniversary celebration of Spastics Society of Tiruchi (SST) as the chief guest. She appreciated Tiruchi’s record in rehabilitation and employment of PwD that had made such an inclusion possible.

S. Chandramohan, District Differently Abled Welfare Officer, Tiruchi, said that the groundwork for the World Bank-funded programme was in progress, and that the initiative would be formally launched in January. Chennai, Dharmapuri, Tenkasi and Cuddalore districts are also part of the RIGHTS project.

SST’s anniversary function saw a student Muthu Rekha and her mother Karpagavalli sharing their experiences.

Ms. Rekha, who has cerebral palsy, came to SST at the age of five and with the help of remedial coaching and physiotherapy, went on to join mainstream education after Class V. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D at National Institute of Technology – Tiruchi.

In her address, Ms. Rekha said, “It is very difficult for persons with disability to participate in regular schooling because of the bias that we cannot be on a par with the others. But my parents and teachers have always encouraged me to realise my dreams with hard work.”

SST is working on a volume to chronicle 60 case studies of its students, to be published next year. The institution recently won the Tamil Nadu State Award for creating a barrier-free environment on its campus.