MAHENDRA SABOO

ADM NO: HPGD/JA14/0116

SOCIAL CAUSE: CHILD WITH DISABILITY
NGO: UMMEED

PRIN. L. N. WELINGKAR INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

DEVELOPMENT & RESEARCH.
YEAR OF SUBMISSION: 2014

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I hereby take this opportunity to express my heartful gratitude to
my organization Centrum Wealth Management Ltd. who actively
contributes to CSR from where I have got the inputs and help for
my project on ISR.

I would also like to thank Mr. John Thattil, COO of UMMEED, for
his coordination and providing insights of the activities and
organization of Ummeed.

I would also like to express my indebtness to my family members,

my friends and also my colleagues for their constant support
ensuring the completion of my project.

Table of Contents
TOPIC

Page No

Executive Summary

Introduction to Social Responsibility

a) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

b) Individual Social Responsibility (ISR)
c) NGOs working towards the Cause Child with Disability
NGO UMMEED

8
10
12
15

a)
b)
c)
d)

About Ummeed What they do?

How they do this?
The Idea Generation behind Ummeed.
Services Offered
i.
Clinical
ii.
Training & Capacity Building
iii.
Early Childhood Intervention Centre (EIC)
iv.
Parent & Care Providers
v.
Social Work

17
19
19
20
21
31
37
39
41

e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)

National & International Forums and Events organized

News line Events for Ummeed
One of the Case in Point SALMA
Want to get involve with Ummeed --- This is how
Partners with Ummeed
Board of Directors and Management Team.
Major Donors to Ummeed

42
44
46
47
49
50
51

Conclusion.

53

Bibliography.

54

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The project attempts to give an idea about the various Individual

Social responsibilities (ISR) and awareness about the
requirement of how we as individuals can perform our social
responsibility.
The social cause on which I have worked on in this project is
child with disability.
A brief insight is given on NGO UMMEED, working on children
with disabilities. The aim of Ummeed is to help children with
disabilities so that they could have a normal living and be included
in the society. The same is the subject of the project.
Finally an attempt is made to capture the doing of Ummeed in a
video, highlighting their work.

Social Responsibility

Social responsibility is an ethical theory that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has

an obligation to act to benefit society at large. Social responsibility is a duty every individual has
to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the ecosystems. A trade-off
may exist between economic development, in the material sense, and the welfare of the society
and environment. Social responsibility means sustaining the equilibrium between the two. It
pertains not only to business organizations but also to everyone whose any action impacts the
environment. This responsibility can be passive, by avoiding engaging in socially harmful acts,
or active, by performing activities that directly advance social goals.

Social responsibility is sub divided into broadly two:

Corporate Social Responsibility CSR

Individual Social Responsibility ISR

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR has been defined by Lord Holme and Richard Watts in
The World Business Council for Sustainable Developments publication Making Good Business
Sense as the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to
economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as
well as the local community and society at large". CSR is one of the newest management
strategies where companies try to create a positive impact on society while doing business.
There is no clear-cut definition of what CSR comprises. Every company has different CSR
objectives though the main motive is the same. All companies have a two point agenda- to
improve qualitatively (the management of people and processes) and quantitatively (the impact
on society). The second is as important as the first and stake holders of every company are
increasingly taking an interest in the outer circle-the activities of the company and how these
are impacting the environment and society..

Social responsibility is the duty of business to do no harm to society. In other words, in their
daily operations, businesses should be concerned about the welfare of society and mindful of
how its actions could affect society as a whole. These days consumers have become more
conscious of whom they are doing business with and which products they should buy. Many
companies who are looking for long-term profitability are looking for ways to become more
socially responsible.

Likewise, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) states: In the wake of
increasing globalization, Organizations have become increasingly conscious not only of what
they buy, but also how the goods and services they buy have been produced. Environmentally
harmful production, child labor, dangerous working environments and other inhumane
conditions are examples of issues being brought into the open. All companies and organizations
aiming at long-term profitability and credibility are starting to realize that they must act in
accordance with norms of right and wrong.

3Es where Corporates intend to be Social Responsible are

Economic Responsibility Education of employees and young technicians is promoted by

organizing on-going training and qualification courses. The Companies have an apprenticeship
programme where students can learn in order to gain professional experience. Means of
economic responsibility ensure one of the most important aspects of the Companys activity
strategy the highest qualification for its employees.
Ethical Responsibility Taking care of employees, their families, communities and society.
Corporates prepare annual events together; they also supports those in the communities. They
provide leisure opportunities for their employees and as well as opportunities for selfexpression: They support employee initiatives to form clubs, and to establish professional
unions. The corporates are involved in projects for socially vulnerable community members (for
example, children from orphanage). Implementation of ethical responsibility helps the
Corporates to get closer to its personnel and surrounding communities.
Ecological Responsibility The Corporates takes part in initiatives on environmental
management and also promotes initiatives, related to the rational use of energy resources,
sorting and recycling waste, etc. Labour and health safety requirements are in force in the
workplace.

INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

The individual social responsibility includes the engagement of each person towards the
community where he lives, which can be expressed as an interest towards whats happening in
the community, as well as in the active participation in the solving of some of the local problems.
Being "socially responsible" is about all individuals behaving ethically and sensitively towards
social, economic, and environmental issues. It is about being accountable for our actions and
being conscious of the impact your actions have on others, our communities, and the
environment. The individual social responsibility also could be expressed in making donations
for significant for the society causes social, cultural or ecological.

STUDENT SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: A subdivision of ISR.

Student social responsibility is the responsibility of every student for his/her actions. It is morally
binding on everyone to act in such a way that the people immediately around them are not
adversely affected. It is a commitment everyone has towards the society contributing towards
social, cultural and ecological causes. SSR is based on an individuals ethics. Instead of giving
importance only to those areas where one has material interests the individual supports issues
for philanthropic reasons. It forms the base for CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility because
if everyone in a business organization does his/her bit the bigger things automatically fall into
place. The trends however show that big charitable organizations recorded high growth due to
the SR efforts of individuals and not corporates or the government. ISR may be slightly
impractical, especially in the modern competitive world, where everyone works for self-interest,
but it will succeed if we take decisions based on what will benefit a large number of people and
respect everyones fundamental rights. As individuals we can make our small contributions to
society by donating money to trustworthy NGOs, saving our resources by reducing our
consumption, e.g. by switching off lights or computers when not in use.

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Some of the individuals Socially Responsibilities are mentioned below:

Keeping in view the limitation of the project, we cannot focus on each and every of the factors
mentioned above. We will narrow our view on one of the topics. i.e working towards child
development, focused mainly on child with disability.

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FEW NGOS WORKING TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT FOR CHILD WITH DISABLITY

1.

HCPA --Handicapped Children's Parent's Association.

Based in New Delhi
Purpose: Set up and Maintain HOMES and work for betterment of children with cerebral
palsy.
HCPA is formed by parents of persons with Cerebral Palsy(CP). CP causes multiple
disabilities to make the victim totally dependent on others even for basic needs. Hence
the parents of children with CP have got together to create HOMES where such persons
can get safe, secured and dignified accommodation if they outlive their parents.
Facilities at HCPA for persons with CP include Day care, Respite care, Prolonged care,
Life care, Physiotherapy etc. They even under take vocational projects which include
making paper from waste, making Natural colors from flowers for Holi / Rangoli.
Making Shagun Envelops, Diwali Diyas, Candles etc.

2.

MANAS- Based in New delhi

Purpose: Child Guidance & Mental Health for special children.
Manas Foundation, a New Delhi-based registered trust, was founded in 2000 by a group
of mental health professionals in response to our experience of the growing need for
community-based mental healthcare. For over a decade now Manas has been actively
upholding psychosocial health and wellbeing, in addition to addressing psychological
disorders. Manas is engaged in multiple awareness generation programs via community
programs and social forums, multimedia campaigns, policy advocacy and partnerships
with citizen sector organizations, corporate entities, and schools. These activities are
instrumental in integrating mental health concerns into general health concerns of the
society and creating a demand for mental health care through identification of concerns.
Services include Saath; a mental health helpline, Career counseling, psychiatry ,
educational and training programs, child guidance etc.

3. PARIVAAR NFPA- NATIONAL FEDERATION OF PARENTS ASSOCIATION

Purpose: Working towards the help, rehabilitation, and dignity of life of the
neurologically handicapped persons in India

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PARIVAAR - NFPA ceaselessly fights for the rights of the mentally retarded and other
developmentally disabled persons for job reservation, proper and effective
implementation of all legislations and programs that have been undertaken by the
Government through representation, lobbying and direct action.

4.

Kaumaram Prashanthi Academy - Based in Coimbatore.

Purpose: A non-profit and service-oriented Institution established to meet the needs of

developmentally challenged students, to provide specialized education for students
suffering from Autism, Down Syndrome and other specific Disorders.
Kaumaram Prashanthi Academy run by Kaumaram Prashanthi Trust, (formerly Sri
Prashanthi Academy) is a school for children with different abilities (intellecutal
disabilities). The facility is based at Coimbatore Tamil Nadu, India. Kaumaram
Prashanthi Academy gained recognition for transforming lives of children, by enabling
education and empowering the children based on their intellectual, physical and
emotional requirements.
Services provided here include Special education, Early childhood education,
Developmental Therapy, Occupational Therapy and vocational skills training.

5.

DEEPALAYA Based in Delhi

Purpose: Support the rehabilitation of a disadvantaged, physically/mentally challenged
child.
Over the years, Deepalaya has established several projects in the areas of Education
(Formal/Non-Formal/Remedial), Women Empowerment (reproductive health, SHG,
Micro-finance), Institutional care, Community health, Vocational training and Differently
Abled. These projects are operational in Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
The project for the diffently abled include unit which caters to children with various
disabilities like Intellectual Disability, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Autism, Hearing
and Speech Impaired, Muscular Dystrophy and other physical impairments.

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6. MINDS and SOULS -- Based in Kolkatta

Purpose: Educating/informing our Indian Society on our Differently abled children(special
children/adults with Behaviour Problems and Multiple Disabilities, like Autism, Slow
Learners, Aspergers Syndrome, ADHD, Mental Retardation, Down Syndrome, Cerebral
Palsy, Hearing, Speech and Visual Impairment, etc.)
Our Non-Government Organization (NGO) is running a residential cum day care school
called "MINDS AND SOULS" dedicated to educate children with Multiple Disabilities,
Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Hearing Impairment, etc. and improves the health and the
quality of life of socially disadvantaged people living in Kolkata (Calcutta), Rural West
Bengal, and various other parts of India.
Therapies provided include Special education , Speech therapy, music and dance
therapy, physiotherapy and computer therapy.
.

7.

LATIKA ROY FOUNDATION Based in Dehradun.

Purpose: Voluntary organization, working with children and adults who have
developmental and other disabilities.
Latika roy projects include Gubbara, Karuna Vihar, Training centre, College for
Vocational Training etc.

8.

UMMEED Based in Mumbai.

Purpose: To help Children with disabilities, or at high risk of disabilities, reach their
maximum potential and be included in Society.

In this project I have tried to peep into the workings of NGO Ummeed and have attempted to
know their way of operation by visiting them and having multiple talks with them. The findings
are as mentioned in the rest of the project and in the video shoot recorded therein.

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UMMEED

Vision

----To help Children with disabilities, or at high risk of disabilities, reach their
maximum potential and be included in Society.

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At least one in every ten children has a disability.

HOW??????????
A child is either born with one

OR
Acquires one because of Poverty
The prevalence of childhood disability in Low and Middle
Income Countries is 15%, whereas INDIA has an estimated 52
million children with disabilities
----Source: WHO World Disability Report 2010, Lancet series on ECD 2007

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ABOUT UMMEED ---- WHAT THEY DO

Newborn Saira was diagnosed with a hole in her heart. Like thousands of children all over India,
there was just not enough money to take care of the problem. Two years later, when surgery
was finally performed, it seemed too little too late. When she came to them at Ummeed her
developmental age was placed at nine months, even though she was two. She couldnt walk,
barely talk and was completely dependent for her basic needs. The Ummeed team
recommended regular input from the physiotherapist, speech therapist, and occupational
therapist at Ummeed. A home program was devised for Sairas mother. Throwing themselves
fully at the task at hand, Saira and her parents incorporated all the therapists suggestions into
their daily life with Saira.
Today Saira is fourteen. She leads the kind of self-sufficient life that seemed impossible when
she came to Ummeed. She now helps her mother, not only in running the house but even caring
for her two younger brothers. She is shy, but if you get past that, shes ready to chatter away.
Sociable and independent, she now goes to a school where she is working towards functional
literacy.
Saira is relatively lucky. Lucky because she got the help she deserves. There are over 52
Million children in India with developmental disabilities and over 650,000 in Mumbai alone. But
out of these, not even a quarter have access to quality care. Thousands of children dont even
get a chance for a better life; and so many parents are left feeling helpless.

UMMEED AIMs TO
Provide Integrated Care, with professionals working together as an interdisciplinary team for the
best possible care. Ummeeds team of skilled professionals, lead by a developmental
pediatrician with experience both in India and abroad, works closely with children and their
families to provide coordinated care that works.
Empower Parents, allowing them to take a lead role in providing care for their child. It is their
belief that professionals are only part of the story, and their approach includes empowering
parents as essential partners in their childs development program. In a country with limited
resources, this makes more than financial sense.
Provide Care for all, helping children of all sections of society, irrespective of financial
considerations. At Ummeed, no child is ever turned away because of an inability to pay.
At Ummeed, they provide parents with the skills to do what every parent dreams of to help
their children grow and learn, and live their life to the fullest.

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UMMEED is a non-profit organization set up with the objective of helping children with
developmental disabilities like Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, Learning Disability, Autism,
and Attention Deficit Disorder. As an organization with close to 58 professionals, they work in
four main areas:

1. Create and run a centre of excellence. The centre in Parel, Mumbai offers a complete
range of clinical services (from pediatric assessments to therapies), as well as many
interdisciplinary programs like our Early Intervention Center. They address needs of both groups
of children those born with disability, and those who are at risk because of the environment
they are in.
It has 58 professionals
Provides family-centered care for all
Supports 7500 visits a year (over 60% visits are subsidized)
Documents and builds best practices for their context

2. Building capacity. They reach out to thousands of children through outreach programs in
low-income schools and communities. They run training programmes for teachers and staff of
NGOs working with low income groups and children with disabilities so they can benefit the
children in their communities.

3. Advocacy. They work with individual children and their families to ensure that they know
their rights and work to enroll them in inclusive schools and other institutions. Senior members
of their staff are part of various committees and institutions that influence policy.

4. Research. They partner with other countries and organizations to support research in
the field of public health and policy with regards to child development. Ummeed has tried
to document its own creative approaches to promote the development of children with
disabilities and support their families.
As part of a 5-year National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA funded project, Ummeed is
partnering with Yale University, and teams in Turkey, Argentina, and South Africa, to
standardize and validate a tool for monitoring child development in children from 0 to 3 years.
The tool, the International Guide for Monitoring Child Development (IGMCD), is nearly ready
and will be open access, available to community workers for use in all low and middle-income
countries.

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HOW THEY DO THIS

They achieve this by working in collaborative teams, creating and following best practices,
empowering families, building resources in the community, participating in advocacy as well as
working with children and families from all sections of society.

The IDEA Generation behind UMMEED

Dr. Vibha Krishnamurthy is the Founder and Medical Director of Ummeed. After her postgraduation in pediatrics from Delhi she moved to the US where she trained at Massachusetts
General Hospital, Harvard University and Childrens Hospital, Boston. The idea of Ummeed was
born while she was working at Childrens Hospital as a Developmental Pediatrician. The
resources available at the hospital and community in Boston brought home to her the paucity of
facilities available for children with developmental disabilities in India. She relocated to India in
1998.
On her return, she worked with a number of non-profit organizations as well as Jaslok Hospital,
Mumbai, while she reflected on how best to provide the range of specialized services required
for children with special needs. She also maintains that identifying and treating disabilities in
children also makes for a healthier society at large in the long run.
On November 5, 2001, helped by her husband, Ashish Karamchandani, a partner of the Monitor
Group (a leading global management consultancy firm), she founded Ummeed with an initial
staff of three.
Today Ummeed provides specialized care for most developmental disabilities and has
additionally moved into areas of training, research and advocacy. Almost 58 professionals
ranging from pediatricians to therapists to mental health professionals and social workers
support its services. It is now one of the countrys leading NGOs, much respected for its work in
the field of children with disabilities.

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SERVICES OFFERED BY UMMEED

1. CLINICAL

2. TRAINING & CAPACITY BUILDING

3. EIC

4. PARENT & CARE PROVIDERS

5. SOCIAL WORK

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CLINICAL (CENTRE FOR EXCELLENCE)

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A. DEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRIC ASSESSMENTS

A developmental pediatric assessment is an evaluation done to assess or follow up a child with
developmental concerns.

THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT

The assessment is done by a developmental pediatrician- a qualified general pediatrician who
has specialized knowledge and experience in assessing and managing children with
developmental disabilities.
At the initial visit the Developmental Pediatrician looks at how the child is developing overall,
what mental and physical factors in the child, family and environment affect his development.
In the assessment, the developmental pediatrician will first talk to you regarding your concerns
for your child, and ask you questions about your childs strengths and challenges as well as
details of your family. Through informal play based techniques, sometimes formal tests and a
medical examination, the doctor is able to assess your childs development. At the end of the
session, the doctor will be able to give you a diagnosis if any, and suggest intervention (course
of action) based on the childs abilities, strengths and weaknesses.

ONGOING CARE/THERAPY
Apart from evaluating your childs difficulties, the developmental pediatrician will assist in
planning the right intervention for his difficulties at home and with specialised therapists, if
required. Neurological conditions, genetic and metabolic issues as well as chronic physical
medical illnesses often impact a childs learning and behavior. The developmental pediatrician is
able to assess how much these affect the childs development and thus determine the level and
kind of ongoing care required.
Through periodic follow-ups, the doctor will monitor report from parents and teachers. Periodic
follow-ups also help in uncovering patterns in your childs development by tracking her
development over time.
Ongoing care also requires the developmental pediatrician to serve as the childs advocate. The
developmental pediatrician becomes the coordinator of an interdisciplinary team who is working
with the child and acts a consultant to the school or other agencies to improve the provision of
services for children with disabilities. The developmental pediatrician is also able to provide
appropriate and accurate information to parents and other allied professionals, helping them to
understand the needs to the child.

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B. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Occupational therapy treatment focuses on helping people achieve independence in all areas of
their lives. Pediatric occupational therapy intervention entails using various therapeutic solutions
to help infants, toddlers and children with developmental delays reach their maximum potential
at home and in the outside world.

WHAT DOES AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST DO?

An occupational therapist can help children improve their cognitive, physical, sensory and motor
skills and enhance their self-esteem and sense of accomplishment. They help children gain
independence and promote development of play, social and academic skills which enable them
to interact and engage with others.
The team is committed to help children with developmental disabilities achieve their maximum
potential.

ONGOING CARE/THERAPY
Some of the areas that occupational therapists address through individual sessions with the
child and the family include:
1. Gross motor skills such as sitting, walking, running or jumping;
2. Fine motor skills to improve grasp and release of toys and develop good handwriting

skills;
3. Hand-eye coordination to improve play skills (hitting a target, batting a ball, copying from

a blackboard, use a computer, or increase the speed and legibility of their handwriting
etc.);
4. Basic self-care tasks (such as bathing, getting dressed, brushing their teeth, and feeding

themselves);
5. Sensory and attention issues to improve focus and social skills and developing the

childs skills to interact with others, to cope with new or difficult situations and to manage
his or her behaviours in socially appropriate ways;
6. Cognitive and pre-academic skills which are a pre requisite for his or her future

academic accomplishments such as concepts of colours, shapes, numbers etc;

7. Assessing a childs need for specialized equipment, such as wheelchairs and splints.

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GROUP THERAPY SESSIONS:

Happy Hands Club: A PLAY-BASED GROUP INTERVENTION PROGRAMME FOR
CHILDREN WITH DELAYS IN FINE MOTOR SKILLS.
Ummeeds senior occupational therapists conduct group therapy sessions for children with fine
motor skill delays.
The group comprises three to four pre-school children with varied diagnosis such as autism,
developmental delay or cerebral palsy, who have difficulties in fine motor skills such as
handwriting, drawing or in learning to button or tie shoe laces.
This structured group intervention is carried out twice a week for duration of six weeks. Each
child is assessed by a team of occupational therapists at the start and end of the six weeks of
intervention with follow up assessments over the next two consecutive months for motor,
cognitive and social skills along with fine motor skills. Every child also receives an individualized
home program.
The focus of this one-and-a-half-hour session is on using play-based therapeutic activities to
work on the childs challenges. These fun-filled therapeutic sessions have been found to have a
long term impact on not only the fine motor skill but also on social and communication areas of
development and have helped the families to work better with their child. These sessions are
held four times a year.

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C. SPEECH THEORY
A pediatric speech and language therapist primarily works to develop and improve a childs
ability to communicate. Speech and language disorders include difficulties understanding and
production of language, including the pragmatic/functional aspects of language, articulation
(clarity of speech), phonology (sound system of a language), fluency, voice and disorders of
swallowing.

FOCUS FOR ASSESSMENT

Speech and language therapists (SLT) assess the nature of your childs problem, and then
provide treatment, advice and support. Assessment is concerned with determining the extent of
the communication problem, the childs areas of strength, and the level of family support. The
(SLT) will assess the childs developmental level through formal and informal tests,
observations, and interviewing the caregivers. The SLT will then develop goals and work with
your child and closely with the family to improve your childs expressive and receptive language
or to help your child to communicate through an alternate mode of communication.
Assessments may also focus on determining problems related to feeding, chewing, swallowing,
stammering and voice problems.

ONGOING CARE/THERAPY
Ongoing care is often determined by and adapted to the difficulties that your child faces.
Therapy focuses on developing various skills, which would enable a child to communicate to the
best of his/her ability. Therapy focuses on involving and training family members to provide
support and opportunities to practice the strategies taught in therapy. Small group therapy is
also offered to children who need to generalize their strategies learned in one-on-one therapy
sessions and to children who have similar speech and language goals.
Some skill areas targeted during therapy include:

Listening and attention skills

Phonological awareness skills

Play skills

Social skills

Understanding of language

Expressive language

Use of alternative communication (e.g. gestures, signs, electronic devices)

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D. NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL THERAPY
Neuro-developmental therapy aims to improve a childs acquisition of developmental milestones
and helps him learn better ways to move and play. At times, children as young as barely a
month old also require NDT to facilitate their developmental milestones.

AREA OF FOCUS FOR ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION

Assessment and intervention is focused on determining your childs strengths and the extent of
his impairment in terms of stiffness, tightness, weakness, posture and its relation to functional
limitations such as sitting, walking, jumping and running.
Assessments and re-assessments of such functional abilities are carried out on an ongoing
basis to ensure that treatment meets the childs constantly changing functional needs.

ONGOING CARE/ THERAPY

The main aim of therapy is to provide the child with a greater variety of coordinated movement
patterns leading to improvement in childs functional abilities through play based techniques,
sensory stimulation and active participation of the child in different functional positions.
Therapy involves the maximization of overall functional abilities through various approaches like
facilitation of developmental milestones, improvement in balance and coordination, stretching of
tight muscles, MFR technique as well as parental education. External aids like splints, braces,
walkers, specially fabricated chairs and others are also often recommended to gain good
alignment in sitting, standing, walking or other daily activities.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

Early Intervention Clinic: Very soon Ummeed is going to start a clinic for very young
infants who are born premature or with a low birth weight or who have needed NICU
care and therefore are at an increased risk to have developmental difficulties.
Through this clinic we will be offering a comprehensive developmental assessment,
regular intervention (if needed) along with parent education and follow-ups at regular
intervals.

Motor Development Program for School-age children: This is a play based

interactive intervention which will facilitate gross motor and fine motor skills for school
based children aged 4 to 12 years. Children with a diagnosis of Dyspraxia, Global
Developmental Delay, Learning Disability, mild Cerebral palsy, Aspergers or higher
functioning ASD will benefit from this group which will focus on providing interactive play
based strategies to work on building the gross and fine motor skills in the children.

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E. IQ Tests / Assessments
IQ refers to Intelligence Quotient, or a numerical representation of ones intellectual level.
Intelligence Tests generate an IQ score which represents a childs general cognitive ability.

AREA OF FOCUS FOR ASSESSMENT

Intelligence testing is a method used by Clinical Psychologists to measure a childs intellectual
capabilities in several specific domains. These domains include verbal comprehension, factual
knowledge, abstract reasoning, visual-spatial abilities and short-term memory. Intellectual
assessment is a good indication of a childs academic potential. The results of an IQ test rank a
child against a very large sample of children the same age. If a child scores in the top 5% for
their age group it is reasonable to expect them to be performing within the top 5% academically.
The most commonly administered IQ tests in Ummeed include the Wechsler Intelligence Scale
for Children (WISC Age 5 15.11 years) and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
Fourth Edition (WISC-IV Age 6-16.11 years). During the testing session a child is asked to
solve problems and puzzles and to answer questions about the world. The majority of children
enjoy the testing session as it is an engaging process involving novel and fun tasks.
IQ testing often forms part of a psycho-educational assessment that a developmental
pediatrician recommends when a child is facing academic difficulties.

F. EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENTS / IEP

An educational assessment is a way of measuring and understanding the intellectual ability and
the specific cognitive* and achievement skills that are necessary for any child to perform to the
best of his potential academically in the school.
*Cognitive: Psychological processes involved in acquisition and understanding of knowledge,
formation of beliefs and attitudes, and decision making and problem solving.

AREA OF FOCUS FOR ASSESSMENT

The educational assessment is done by trained special educators and involves a battery of tests
namely Woodcock- Johnson III Tests of cognitive Abilities and Tests of Achievement, Test of
Written Language (TOWL), Neale Analysis of Reading Ability (NARA) and Test of Reading
Comprehension (TORC).
The subtests involved in the battery of tests focus on determining the level of a childs oral
language, reading accuracy and fluency, reading comprehension, spelling, writing and math
27

skills. In addition, the assessment also includes an evaluation of processing skills (like auditory
memory, phonological awareness, visual perception, and visual-motor integration).
Once the assessment is done, the items are scored and based on the scores an interpretation is
made. If a child is diagnosed with Learning Disabilities, the examiner/ special educator mentions
few recommendations both for the parents and teachers in the school so that some concessions
can be given to the child outlined by the government for children with Learning Disabilities. The
child is also referred to a special educator for remedial therapy in order to improve his areas of
underachievement.

REMEDIAL THERAPY: ONGOING CARE/ THERAPY

Remedial therapy involves individually planned and systematically followed, arrangement of
teaching procedures and materials, accessible settings, and other interventions designed to
strengthen the areas of underachievement and help learners with learning difficulties achieve a
higher level of success and self confidence in school and community. The special educator who
provides remedial therapy is not a tutor, but a person who works directly with the child using
certain specific strategies or techniques pertaining to the area of difficulty. The areas which are
generally worked upon are receptive and expressive language, decoding or reading accuracy,
reading fluency, reading comprehension, spelling, writing, math, processing skills like word
retrieval skills or visual perceptual skills, sequencing skills and study skills. The remedial
therapy involves 45 minutes to an hour long session, once in a week, where the special
educator works one on one with the child based on the childs Individualised Education Plan
(IEP).
The family, caregivers, teachers or other therapists involved with the child are also encouraged
to be part of these sessions and home programs are given to them to be followed with the child
in other settings like school, home etc.
Remedial Therapy can be required by students diagnosed with:

Learning Disabilities

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Slow Learners

Intellectual Impairment

Hearing Impairment

Cerebral Palsy

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G. AUTISM INTERVENTION SERVICES

At Ummeed, they have a unique team of professionals devoted to providing services for children
who are on the Autistic Spectrum (including Autistic Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder/PDDNOS/Aspergers Syndrome).

FOCUS OF ASSESSMENT
They recognize that in spite of a common diagnosis of either Autistic Disorder or Autism
Spectrum Disorder, every child is unique. During their assessment with the child, they focus on
establishing his or her specific challenges and relative areas of strength. Their assessments are
a combination of play-based and more structured observations which look at how autism
impacts your childs communication, social interaction and play skills. They also look at the
patterns of interaction between the child and his immediate environment, including his family
and other caregivers, as they play an extremely important role in his development.

ONGOING THERAPY:
Ongoing therapy services work on an eight week on-off model. They believe in being familycentered, and their interventions can be followed by the parents and family at home as well.
Therapy is ongoing for eight weeks, during which parents observe and learn strategies that they
can implement at home during the subsequent break of eight weeks. They tailor their
interventions according to the needs of the child. While some children may benefit from more
structured Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) like strategies, therapist might use strategies
based on Floor time and other developmental approaches for others. The primary aim of these
therapy strategies is to expand on the childs existing level of communication skills, increase his
level of social awareness and interaction, develop his play skills and work on reducing
challenging behaviors.
They also run parent-training programs for teaching parents how to improve their childrens
social-communication skills through everyday routines that they can implement at home
(parents and care providers)

29

H. MENTAL HEALTH
Mental health services or Counseling at Ummeed involves developing a therapeutic
relationship during which the therapist provides space for people to talk about their troubles and
explore difficult feelings in an environment that is dependable, non- judgmental and confidential.
Counseling is done by trained counselors/ psychologists who dont usually offer advice; instead,
help people to gain insight into their feelings and behaviour. The aim is to enable people to
cope with challenges or to make positive changes in their life by empowering them to make their
own choices within the framework of an agreed counseling process.

COUNSELLING/MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AT UMMEED

Although every child is different and every family is unique, there are some common concerns
that link parents of children with developmental disabilities. Some of these might be dealing with
the initial diagnosis and subsequent stressors like getting appropriate care, promoting
acceptance in the extended family, school and community and planning for an uncertain future.
Apart from parents sometimes even children need help in understanding their diagnosis and
developing skills to deal with the difficulties associated with it.
Even in the absence of a diagnosed disability there are families that might need support in
responding to their childs behavioural difficulties, school refusal, mental illness or the effects of
physical/sexual abuse or family violence. Other families might require support to deal with
potentially stressful life transitions (e.g. death of a member, divorce, loss of a job, moving cities
etc).
The Ummeed Mental Health Team works with the families referred to them emphasizing family
centered care and a strengths-based approach. They always work collaboratively with a childs
caregivers to address his/her needs. Counselling sessions are usually individual child, parent(s),
and parent-child or family meetings. Group counselling sessions are also conducted when
feasible.
Apart from consultations with families the Mental Health Team is also actively involved in
creating awareness in the society about mental health and developmental disorders by
conducting training workshops in schools, NGOs, private organizations, rotary clubs etc. They
also run the Ummeed Mental Health Training program which involves training and supervising
community workers and counsellors in providing mental health support to children and families.

PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES
A consultant psychiatrist practices at Ummeed to conduct psychiatric assessments and screen
for mental illness in a child or family members if the need arises.

30

TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING

Capacity Building to reach the Last Mile

Community based govt. organizations

Community based NGOs

Orphanages

Disability organizations

Schools

31

A. CHILD DEVELOPMENT AIDE (CDA) TRAINING PROGRAMME

The Child Development Aide (CDA) Program was started by Ummeed Child Development
Center in April 2009 to empower community workers to work with children at risk for
developmental disabilities; to train them to work with families of children with special needs in
their communities to provide basic interventions for these children.
In a country like India where there is widespread ignorance about childhood disabilities, children
with special needs often go undiagnosed, especially in underprivileged populations. Often, even
if a problem is diagnosed correctly, access to proper intervention is poor since professionals are
in short supply and/or most families simply cannot afford their services. In such circumstances,
educated community workers have a very significant to play.
The CDA program aims to partner with organizations are already working with children in preschools, orphanages, and other community organizations to educate caregivers (community
workers, teachers and social workers) The goal of this program is to train a community worker
to become a leader and advocate of early child development for that organization .

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The CDA program is a one-year certificate program, accredited by Tata Institute of Social
Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. The first six months comprises full-time training at Ummeed
involving lectures, practical work, assignments and assessments. The next six months comprise
a mentorship program in which trainees start work in their own organizations with specific
assignments planned by Ummeed professional in collaboration with the heads of the
organization. This is to ensure that the early child development work gets linked with the
existing work of the organization. The trainees meet up with Ummeed professionals once a
month to review these assignments and learn to establish themselves in their new role as the
child development aides.

ABOUT THE CURRICULUM

The focus of this training is to give the trainees an understanding of typical as well as delayed
child development. The ultimate goal of this one-year training is to make the trainees competent
in performing four important roles in their communities:
1. Identify and work with children who are at risk for developmental disabilities
2. Identify children with special needs
3. Carry out basic therapeutic interventions in various areas of development and education;
and

32

4. To teach how to work with the families and educate the local population regarding
prevention of disabilities

BACKGROUND OF THE TRAINEES

So far Ummeed has successfully trained four batches of CDAs till February 2013. They have
trained 24 community workers from nine organization. The trainees have been from Snehalaya,
NGO working with commercial sex workers children and HIV infected children, Anandwan, a
pioneer organizations working with individuals with leprosy, Muktangan, Mumbai, an inclusion
school for children from an under privileged background, from Latika Roy foundation from
Dehardun, Red cross society from Gujarath, Sahyog Chehak Trust from Mumbai. We have
trained Ummeed staff from the early intervention center and she now works with us as the
therapy aide for us and for a Balak Mata Sangopan Kendra, a crche in Mumbai.

B. MENTAL HEALTH TRAININGPROGRAMME (MHTP)

This programme focuses on training candidates to provide family-centric therapeutic support for
children with disabilities and their families. The course material has been created in
collaboration with Narrative Practices Adelaide, Australia a pioneer in Narrative Therapy.
There has been a growing awareness of the need to address mental health needs of children
and families. However, there remains a paucity of trained professionals who can meet these
demands. Ummeeds MHTP provides an opportunity for individuals interested in providing such
care or for organization or schools to build capacity in this area.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The focus of this course is to provide a thorough grounding in the ideas and practices of
narrative approaches to working with individuals, families, groups and communities.
Their teaching aims to reflect an approach which is interactive, collaborative, encouraging,
rigorous, and enjoyable practice based. Post completion candidates will be supported via
ongoing mentorship.
THE COURSE PROGRAM is based around four key components
1. A thorough exploration of the narrative metaphor and its application in practice
including the background ideas and guiding principles of narrative therapy.
2. Skills development of the micro-maps of narrative practice as described by Michael
White and related to work in a variety of contexts and settings.

33

3. Practice based collaborative learning including reviewing stories of therapeutic

conversations, transcripts, therapeutic letters and interviews.
4. A supportive teaching environment enhanced by regular meetings with a focus on
skills development in between teaching blocks.

CERTIFICATION
Candidates will be awarded a certificate upon successful completion of the course by Ummeed
Child Development Center and Narrative Practices Adelaide.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

Individuals with 2-3 years experience in working with children and families

Proficiency in English

Candidates will be interviewed prior to selection

TEACHING SCHEDULE
The course runs for a year and has five theory sessions as well as practical experience.
Ummeeds Mental Health Team provides continuous mentoring support to the candidates. Upon
successful completion of the course candidates are awarded a certificate by Ummeed Child
Development Center and Narrative Practices Adelaide.

C. SHORT TERM ECDD PROGRAM

UMMEED CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS COLLABORATIVE SHORT TERM
TRAINING PROGRAM IN EARLY CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND DISABILITY (ECDD)

Background The early years of life are very crucial for a childs development. By the age of
6 years the brain has almost reached its adult size and the period of most rapid development is
complete. Children require a secure, stimulating and safe environment in those vital first years
an environment which allows them to acquire and practice walking, talking, play and problem
solving skills. Most children seem to manage it all without apparent effort because the human
brain is hard-wired to do so. But for some children, its not so easy.
Ummeed designed a one year Child Development Aide (CDA) training program, to give these
individuals the skills to identify and intervene with children at risk, and to promote good child

34

development practices for all children. The program has run successfully for the last 4 years and
is a certificate course recognized by Tata Institute of Social Sciences.
However, there has been a demand to modify and present the key components of the course in
shorter modules to access organizations that may not be able to send trainees to Ummeed.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

This is a short-term training in child development and disability which will allow community
workers to work with families to
1. Promote child development in high risk populations
2. Identify children with developmental difficulties, and families at risk
3. Support families of children with developmental difficulties to promote their childs
development

OBJECTIVES
1. To create a training curriculum in child development and disability for community
workers who have access to young children and their families.
2. To deliver the above over 3 short training sessions over a period of one year with
periodic follow up long distance telephonic mentoring of supervisors who work with
community workers.
3. To create a system to monitor how the program is being delivered

EXPECTED OUTCOMES 1. The community workers once trained to monitor childhood development will be able to
work better with children and families in their communities.
2. Provide access to early intervention services for children and families from the low socioeconomic backgrounds where none is available.
3. The Trained community workers will be now better placed to link families and children to
the various available government services/ programs to facilitate Early Childhood
Development.

35

TRAINING SCHEDULE Phase 1- 4 days training to train the teachers/ community workers on

Typical child development- 0-3 years

Importance of play in early child development

How to access care giving environment

How to guide parents in facilitating early child development

Supervisors will also be trained on supervising the early child development work which will be
carried out by the community workers post training.
Phase 2- After 3 to 6 months based on feedback from supervisors and project director of the
organization the next 3 day training will be undertaken which will be focused on

Follow up of module 1

Knowledge of Guide for monitoring child development scale (GMCD)

Application of GMCD to identify children at risk and with special needs in the
community

Using strengths based approach for working with families

Phase 3- This 3/4 day training, would primarily focus on

Introduction to developmental delays and deviations

Empowering families to work with children at risk for developmental delay and with
children with special needs.

36

EARLY CHILDHOOD INTERVENTION CENTRE (EIC)

AN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT GROUP INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR

CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
Ummeeds Early Intervention Centre (EIC) is a specialized program for some of their youngest
patients children between the ages of 2 and 5. They set up the EIC when they realized that
many of these children were unable to gain entry into regular playschools and were therefore
missing out on the early intervention that is so crucial for children with special needs.
At Ummeeds EIC, they stimulate all-round development and help prepare our young
participants enter regular or special school. Through play, song, stories and snacks (of course!),
each child learns and grows according to his/her own ability. This child-centered, play-way
philosophy is at the heart of all the EICs activities.
Parents who accompany their children to the EIC are able to learn activities that can be done at
home. More importantly, parents benefit from the support they receive from other families as
many of them share similar life situations. Parents tell them that this social support has proven
to be incredibly valuable to them.
In addition to serving the children that are enrolled, the EIC also seeks to be a model early
childhood development intervention program for children with special needs. The EIC is headed
by an occupational therapist and run by regular school teachers and a Child Development Aide
(CDA, trained at Ummeed). It provides ample proof that educating children with special needs is
well within the capability of any individual with the right attitude. The EIC teachers now visit
37

several city preschools to help train teachers how to include children with special needs in their
classrooms. Teachers who are interested in learning their methods are given an opportunity to
observe and learn.
When the EIC began, there were just four children enrolled. Today it has grown to full capacity,
and the long waiting list plainly demonstrates the crying need for early childhood centers for
children with special needs in India.

38

PARENTING & CARE PROVIDERS

A. AUTISM INTERVENTION SERVICES
As the parents and teachers of a child on the autism spectrum, you have so many concerns
about them and their future. Children on the autism spectrum often do not seem to notice
people and objects around them. They find it difficult to express themselves, even their basic
needs. Connecting and mixing with other people, is hugely challenging for them, and so they
prefer to be alone or engage in activities that we consider strange or not appropriate.
At Ummeed Child Development Center, they recognize your concerns, and have designed the
following therapy programs to help your family:

ONGOING AUTISM THERAPY

1-on-1 sessions with child and family

Work on childs communication, interaction and play

Available throughout the year

Offered for children 18 mths-16 years

UMMEED PARENT PROGRAM FOR AUTISM (UPPA)

Five-week training program (2 days a week)

Teaches parents to connect with their child

Offered for children 18 mths-5 years

BEHAVIOR 101 WORKSHOP

Two half-day workshop for parents/ teachers/therapists

Helps identify and understand the childs behaviors, and how to deal with them.

Offered thrice a year:

Offered for ages 4 and above

39

SOCIAL STORIES WORKSHOP

3-hour workshop for parents/teachers/ therapists

Teaches specific strategy to promote pro-social behavior like sharing, turn-taking, etc.

Offered one a year

Pre-requisite: Behavior 101

Offered for ages 3 and above

MAKE IT VISUAL WORKSHOP

Two half-day workshops for teachers/ therapists

Teaches strategies for inclusion of children with autism in classrooms

Available on request

SCHOOL CONSULTATIONS

Autism interventionists visit childs schools across Mumbai

Consults to schools outside Mumbai available electronically

Help to develop Individual Education Plans (IEP), classroom strategies and behavior
modification plans

Available on request

40

SOCIAL WORK
THE SOCIAL WORK TEAM
The Social Work team at Ummeed works toward empowering families by integrating them as
active partners in the treatment process. This requires not only understanding the family- their
needs and priorities, but also tailoring their treatment plans and therapies to fit their home
environments and lifestyle. Their vision of family-centered care is based on the idea that families
have the greatest ability to help their child cope with their difficulties.
In order to ensure that this can be done, social workers build awareness, are advocates for
families and also serve as the liaison between them and the community at large, informing them
of and connecting them with available service providers.

AREAS OF FOCUS/ ONGOING THERAPY

Every familys journey of care in Ummeed begins with the initial intake of the familys concerns
about their child by the social worker. The intake implies getting an understanding of the familys
primary concerns and issues in relation to the child. The social worker then trainne the family
toward
the
professional/s
they
need
to
see.
Typically a family that visits Ummeed for the first time is referred to a Developmental
Pediatrician who does an assessment and offers a diagnosis if any. Based on this assessment
the family is referred to multiple therapists within and outside the team for ongoing care.
1. Work with Individual Families
The social work teams intervention with families includes providing ongoing care in terms of
social support such as schooling options, guidance on availing disability certificate,
government schemes and provisions; mental health support, awareness of their rights and
entitlements, and advocacy. Home visits when required are also made to enable a better
understanding of the family.

2. Awareness & Advocacy related activities

Know Your Rights Workshop: The Social work team has been conducting a
workshop called Know Your Rights since the inception of the team. The
workshop aims to make parents aware of the rights of their children with
disabilities which include the process of procuring a disability certificate, the
salient features of the Persons with Disabilities Act, and the schemes and
provisions of the government that they can avail.

Support Groups: The Social Work team partnered with the mental health team
to initiate a group program for parents of children from 2-6 years of age with
hyperactivity, attention, and concentration difficulties. This workshop is designed
41

to help parents understand and better manage their children by increasing their
level of positive interaction and using appropriate behaviour management
techniques. It places a strong emphasis on increasing the confidence and
effectiveness of parents to act as facilitators of their child with attention and
concentration difficulties.
Some of the other national and international forums and events where UMMEED
promoted the cause of children with disabilities and created awareness amongst
various constituencies

UMMEED at WHO: Ummeed was invited as an expert in the area for two
meetings at the WHO in 2013. In January, at a meeting on Early
Childhood Development at the WHO, Geneva, Dr Vibha Krishnamurthy
presented the Ummeed model of training community health workers in
ECD to o global gathering of experts. In September, Ummeed was once
again invited to speak at a global meeting of experts on Autism Spectrum
Disorders and other developmental disorders, where they presented their
research on the Guide for Monitoring Child Development.

Ummeed at the Asian Autism Network Conference: Dr Vibha and Dr

Koyeli were invited to participate in the South Asian Autism Network
Conference (SAAN) in Delhi by the Ministry of Health, Government of India
in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh, Autism Speaks and the
World Health Organisation. The Conference was inaugurated by Smt. Sonia
Gandhi, Chairperson, National Advisory Council.

Footsteps for Good: Ummeed participated in the Footsteps for Good event
during the Joy of Giving Week. The event was a 10 Km Walk/Run organized by Ms.
Jill Beckinsale to support charities. Ummeed was invited to participate in this event
for the 1st time and had a number of runners registered to run in support of it.

42

 Street play to create awareness about children with disabilities: On the occasion
of World Disability Day (December 3) Ummeed performed a street play BEEJ
ANKURE ANKURE. The play aimed to create awareness of disabilities and to reach
out to the general public to create a better understanding of this issue. The play was
conducted at different locations in Mumbai apart from the Ummeed Center.

WALK FOR UMMEED: Ummeed had organized a unique awareness cum fund
raiser 55 km walk along beach in South GOA in January 2014. It was hugely
successful, in that walkers managed to raise approx whopping 1 Cr for Ummeed,
which was 40% more than last year collections. The walk continues to be very
popular for its scenic route and fun quotient, quite apart from the money it raises for
children with disabilities.

43

NEWSLINE EVENTS FOR UMMEED

Tata Housing and Mumbai Indians support UMMEED
Ummeeds extensive training services got a vote of confidence from Tata Housing, who
provided a grant towards training activities over a 3-year period. This will help Ummeed
strengthen its internal capacity reach out to an additional 70,000 children and their
families.
Ummeeds Early intervention Center (EIC) also received funding support from the Team
of Mumbai Indians and the Reliance Foundation under the Foundations initiative
Education for All.

Ummeed selected for international volunteer programme

International news giant Thomson Reuters selected Ummeed as part of their
GENERATE program to receive strategic volunteer support. Five volunteers from
Argentina, USA, UK and India who are considered high performers in their area of
expertise have been assigned to Ummeed. They will assist Ummeed in finding
strategic solutions to the challenges it faces in its efforts to scale its operations
and reach larger numbers of children.

44

STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS

Dr Anjali, Ummeeds Director of Training, was awarded the prestigious SPANDAN award
for her work in the field of autism by National Trust. (SPANDANSpecial Performance
Awards in National Trust Centric Disabilities Activities and Networking). The National
Trust is a Government of India organization that works for the welfare of persons with
autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities.

Dr Roopa Srinivasan presented their NIH funded research project at St. Petersburg.
Dr Koyeli Sengupta won a scholarship to attend the IMFAR (International Meeting for
Autism Reseach) in Toronto as Head of our Autism team.

45

ONE of the CASE IN POINT: SALMA

Born into a carpenters family, struggling to make ends meet

Floppy muscle tone, unable even to breast feed or suck from a bottle

Even after painstaking spoon-feeding, listless & unresponsive

Endless consultations, no clear diagnosis

Came to Ummeed at 1 year, 9 months of age, could barely sit upright

Diagnosed with Prader Willi Syndrome: slow mental & delayed motor development,
increasing obesity

Series of tests, followed by a coordinated regimen of physio, speech and occupational

therapy

Ummeed professionals worked closely with her mother

trained her to work with her child at home
dietary
arranged concessions at recommended dieticians, eye specialists, eventually even a
special school (apart from subsidised care at Ummeed)

9 months after coming to Ummeed, Salma was crawling

By age 4, she could walk with support and was gaining strength and coordination

Now, at age 5, she can walk, run and jump, has a good vocabulary, loves to play with
her baby brother.

Pride & Hope are written all over her parents faces.

46

WANT TO GET INVOLVED WITH UMMEED.

THIS IS HOW

1. Become a Volunteer
As Ummeed grows in response to the need for their services, they count on the support of
volunteers. In the past they have had interns and volunteers that include graduate and post
graduate students who are taking a break year; housewives, retired professionals, working
professionals and many others who want to make a difference.
They are delighted to benefit from your time and whatever skills you think you can contribute to
Ummeed. Volunteers at Ummeed help to take calls about cases, support the documentation of
best practices, create communication tools, help at the Early Intervention Center, read to
children and more.
In addition they would greatly appreciate help in the following areas :
Training
One of their key activities is to help enhance the skills of the professionals at Ummeed. If you
are a skilled professional in developmental disabilities and would like to enhance the skills of
their staff please do get in touch with them.
Communications
Writers, photographers, editors, journalists, film-makers or any professionals who can help with
communication activities such as making presentations, brochures, flyers, films, newsletters;
developing press relations; making short films etc.
Fund Raisers
Time and again Ummeed runs programmes to raise funds for various programmes. Volunteers
who believe in giving a chance to children with disabilities and help to create a more inclusive
society are more than welcome to help us promote these events.

47

2. DONATIONS
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Ummeed, as a non-profit, depends entirely on the generosity of individuals and
organizations.
They strive to help all children with developmental disabilities, irrespective of financial
considerations. Over 40% of their patient sessions are with underprivileged children who
pay little to nothing for the high-quality care they receive.
Ummeed has a vision to reach more children through research, awareness building, and
advocacy and training of professionals. This vision simply cannot be fulfilled without
more funds. For this reason, they are actively looking for funding.
They have tax exempt status in India, the United States and the United Kingdom, and
are certified by United Way of Mumbai and GIVE Foundation.

48

49

BOARD OF DIRECTORS & MANAGEMENT TEAM

Ashish Karamchandani, Founder, Monitor Inclusive Markets

Ujwal Thakar, Director Kevalya Education Foundation, Advisor PWC

Dinesh Mirchandani, CEO, Boyden India

Shaheen Mistri, CEO, Teach for India

Merry Barua, CEO, Action for Autism

Arun Jethmalani, CEO, ValueNotes

Dennis McGuire, Founder, TPI

Rajnish Dhall, CEO, MHFC

50

MAJOR DONORS TO UMMEED

CORPORATES
HDFC
MONSHER(INDIA) SAFETY EQUIPMENT
ROCKSTAR ESTATE PVT LTD
VODAFONE
TATA HOUSING
THOMSON REUTERS

FOUNDATIONS & TRUSTS

NAROTAM SEKHSARIA FOUNDATION
SHASTRI INDO CANADIAN INSTITUTE
NATIONAL INSTITUES OF HEALTH, USA
YALE UNIVERSITY
AMBUJA CEMENT FOUNDATION
TEAM MUMBAI INDIANS, RELIANCE FOUNDATION
JM FINANCIAL FOUNDATION

GIVE INDIA

UMMEED CHILD DEVELOPMENT FUND, USA

CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION, UK
THE MEHRAN EDULJI BILIMORIA CHARITY TRUST
KAMPANI CHARITABLE TRUST
INNER WHEEL CLUB OF BOMBAY QUEENS.

51

Please come and join hands with UMMEED

FOR
AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE LIVES

52

Conclusion
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." Winston Churchill.

As rightly said in the above quote, being socially responsible is

our duty and obligation towards the society we live in. We are
obliged to perform our Social responsibilities towards society by
large, as an Individual, Corporate or any other entity.
There are many organizations and NGOs who perform this duty of
theirs with full heart. We see this in the illustration of NGO
Ummeed who works towards transforming lives of disabled
children in the society.
To conclude this project I would like to highlight that if each one of
us contribute a little atleast to the society and be socially
responsible by helping the needy, there wouldnt be any needy
left one day.
As sung by legend Michael Jackson in his composition Heal The
World.
Heal the world
Make it a better place
For you and for me
And the entire human race
There are people dying
If you care enough
For the living
Make a better place
For you and for me

53

Bibliography:
Ummeed handbook

Webliography:

http://ummeed.org/
http://www.hcpaindia.org/
http://www.manas.org.in/
http://www.parivaarnfpa.org/
http://kaumaramprashanthiacademy.org/
http://www.deepalaya.org/
http://www.mindsandsouls.org/
http://latikaroy.org/

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