from inclusive planet – scholaships for students with disabilities

Please fill online application for scholarship at following link: http://www.nhfdc.nic.in/registration_form.aspx

Details

of scholarship

Trust Fund_2011-12. 1000 SCHOLARSHIPS

For STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

www.socialjustice.nic.in

www.nhfdc.nic.in

National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC), for and on behalf of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India, invites applications from Students with Disabilities for award of Scholarship under the Scholarship Scheme (Trust Fund) : Scholarship Scheme (Trust Fund): Under this scheme, 1000 Scholarships will be awarded to eligible students with disabilities for degree and post graduate level professional and technical courses from recognized institutions in India.

Applicants may apply any time in academic year for scholarship under this scheme.

Scholarships will be awarded on quarterly basis for the applications received in preceding quarter. Under this scheme, an advance copy of application should also be submitted online by the candidate..

Reimbursement of Non-Refundable fees restricted to the limit of fee of similar courses in Government/ Government –aided institutions. Maintenance allowance will be paid to the students for 10 months @ Rs. 2500/ per month for Professional Graduate Courses and Rs.3000/-per month for Professional Post-Graduate Courses in one academic year.

Books/Stationery allowance will be paid to students pursuing Professional Graduate Courses @ Rs.6,000/ per annum and Rs.10,000/-per annum for pursuing Professional Post-Graduate Courses.

Visual and hearing impaired students in addition will be provided financial assistance for purchase of aids & appliances (only once during life time).

Monthly income of the beneficiary /parent or guardian should not be more than Rs.25,000/-(Rs. 3.00 Lakh p.a.) from all sources. Family income includes income of parent/guardian.

How to apply :-The applicants are requested to print the online filled application and send at the address mentioned below along with requisite documents duly countersigned and recommended by the Head of the Institution, where they are studying.

National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC), Red Cross Bhawan, Sector-12, Faridabad-121007 (Haryana).

For further details, please visit website of NHFDC www.nhfdc.nic.in or contact: NHFDC at, Telephone nos. 0129 -2226910, 2287512, 2287513 Fax no. 0129 -2284371, E-mail nhfdc97@gmail.com

old laptop, anyone?

Am writing on behalf of Raju Koli, an esha beneficiary who is a student at Kirori Mal College. This is a bright, articulate young man. Raju has impressed me with his courage and never say die attitude. He does not let anyone pity him, and he does not let lack of sight come in the way of his vision for his life. To help him in his further studies, he needs access to a laptop now. he has saved up a…bout 10,000 to buy a laptop, but no laptop is available in this price. netbooks dont perform so well with jaws (the screen reading software used by the blind). therefore, he wants to buy a second had laptop in good working condition, within this budget. If you have a laptop that you would like to give away/ sell, or if you know of anyone who might have such a laptop, please get in touch with Raju(rajukoli2020@gmail.com), or let us know.

Tactile maps? nah.. models..

As you are aware, esha was among the pioneers in promoting the widespread use of tactile maps in offices and schools to aid accessibility. our idea was to create 2d architctural blueprint like maps which will allow a visually challenged person to navigate and find their way around the building with ease.

however, what i saw last month completely changed my perspective about tactile maps. i saw the most amazing 3D model of the blind relief association, created purely out of recycled material.. the beauty of the piece was that even the windows were replicate down to the detail of the direction in which they open!!

this is the first time i have seen something so mindblowing.. and that set me thinking.. suppose, instead of using 2D maps, we were to use these 3D models – made of recycled material, imagine what it would do to the understanding of a VI visitor. Especially visitors who have had sight at some time in their lives – they will be able to visualise the layout, the textures and the distances so much better…

there are some things that we need to think about.. and we solicit your suggestions on these –

1. what about storage? to have an accurate level of detail, we might end up with large models that companies may be loath to store.
2. About the lifespan of the product – while the canvas based tactile maps have a long shelf life with minimal care – a simple cling film coat keeps them in good shape, a 3 D model will need better maintenance and we need to be sure that the shelf life is encouraging enough for companies to want to invest in this.
3. Applicability to all building types – this is a big worry for me. While most organisations have a 3D architectural model of their facility , the indoors are not usually covered..

please.. we need all the ideas we can get.. so.. what do u think?

while we werent looking…

for some time now, i havent been able to post to the esha blog.. and while we werent looking, the search engine optimisation wnt up very well.. and.. the no. of hits has gone up to a very respectable level..

thank you, dear friends of esha – known and unknown, for continuing to support esha.

Accessibility options that rock!

Accessubility options that rock!

OpenOffice.org at Esha

When one first heard about Open Source, one thought it was for geeks. For a lot of years, thats just what one thought. Until, one day, one saw an inconspicuous looking pen drive being inserted into a machine, and the computer getting transformed. It was literally a case of jaw dropping open.

We could not afford a computer for Esha. Finally, we got a donated computer. But there was no question of affording all the software that we needed – Asset management, Accounting, Donations management, Library catlaoging for CLABIL… so on and so forth. For recording, we already use the Open Source Program – Audacity. In the process, one discovered a treasure trove of open source software – even for the Windows platform. All Esha applications were in open source or freeware, and we did JUST FINE!

And then, last month, in earnest, i turned to Open Office.org’s Office program for Windows. Which means – NO MS OFFICE. That was a HUGE saving for us. No, you need to read this again – NO MS OFFICE.

And this is what we have to say after a month:
1. Open Office works so well, its criminal to use MS Office only for the enhanced graphics. The keyboard shortcuts, the toolbars, all feel VERY familiar. My learning curve was pretty short.

2. The interface is very familiar, but is even better in the sense that you dont have to open different root programs to open or create different kinds of documents. One interface, and you can access everything.

3. It takes some getting used to – there arent any jazzy, flashy ribbons, or animations. The look and feel is most like Office 2003-Office 2007, and that is my personal favorite. In fact, if MS ever takes a vote, i will beg them to kill the ribbon and bring back the toolbar.

4. Here is the best part – ALL MS OFFICE documents open in Open Office, and you can save them back as .xls, .doc, .ppt, and send to your stakeholders who are not on Open Office. But you cannot save an MS Office document as an Open Office Document. Beat that!

To sum up: As an NGO, we have benefited HUGELY from Open Office. In fact, its the BIGGEST saver for us, because the alternative was to use a pirated copy of MS Office, which we would not have done.

I personally recommend freeware and open source now. You know why? When the US imposed a trade embargo on Iran, MS Windows and MS Office could not be bought legally in the country. This meant that the govt, businesses, schools et al, could not open THEIR OWN DOCUMENTS using legal software. QED.

Staged Encounters at SAP, October 17, 2011

This was going to be Raju and Suparnaa’s show. And it was!

Raju impressed me particuarly, with his ability to connect with his audience. When you can’t make eye contact, its very difficult to engage your audience, or to understand what they are saying – after all, body language forms 55% of communication. But this time, he impressed everyone with his ability to engage with the crowd.

The other highlight of the play was the humour quotient. We usually laugh a lot in Staged Encounters and 9Tanki both… the teams were enthusiastic, VERY split second humour that kept ur ROTFL – literally! And Team 1 was so funny that they had to disrupt their own performance to laugh!! Another first.

Did we have a lovely day? YOU BET!

See pictures here.

The most hilarious dialogues from Staged Encounters/ 9Tanki

For a while now, i have been amazed at the level of humour that comes in all the impromptu plays that are put up. 9Tanki is a laugh riot in most sessions.

So, finally, i have decided to place on record, the most hilarious dialogues i have heard in 9Tankis and Staged Encounters

At DBOI, Bangalore:
The play had 2 characters – father and daughter. Father was being generally difficult and the daughter was having a tough time taking care of things.
Finally, the daughter gives up and says, “When you are blind, i should go deaf!”

At SAP, MAy 2011:
The house had 3 characters – one wanted to see the TV and the other wanted the radio. So they decide to go into separate rooms and play these 2 things. The third character in the play: “Ye ghar itna bada nahi hai ki tumhare TV ko awaaz aur tumhare radio ki awaaz mil kar mujhe pagal na kar sakein!”

At IIT D, Oct 2011:
Husband comes home.
Wife” Pee par aaye ho?” (are you drunk?)
HUsband: Haan (yes)
Wife: Mere liye laaye ho? (Have you got some for me?)

IN one team, one of the members of the family is a dog. In Act I, the dog was unable to speak in human language. In the second act, the dog had to donate its eyes for a day. in Act II:
Man to dog ” Aaj khush to bahut hoge?” (you must be very happy today)
Dog: Kyun, aakh de kar kyun khush hoonga? (why wil i be happy if i m blind?)
Man: Kyunki aaj tum bol jo sakte ho! (bcs u can talk today!)

At SAP Labs, Sep 2011:
Mother: What time is it? Is it night already?
Son: There is no watch. Lets wait till we are sleepy. It will be night then.

At SAP, Oct 2011:
Son: Maa, bapu ke pair mein kulhari lag gayi (maa, pa’s foot is hurt)
Ma: koi baat nahi, ab to kal hi ilaaj hoga (no problem, we can only take him to a doc tomorrow now)
Dadaji: Koi vaidya ji to phone to lagao (someone pls call the doctor)
Grandson: Dadaji, aap pracheen kaal mein hain, is zamane mein phone ka avishkar nahi hua hai. (Grandpa, you are in an ancient setting. The phone has not been invented yet)

*****
Father: Dekhein aaj ma ne kya banaya hai khaane mein? (lets see what your mom has packed for lunch today)
Son: Bapu, dikhay ito nahi deta, khayenge to pata chalega. (Father, we cant see what she has sent. We will only know once we taste)

Feedback from SAP 9Tanki – Oct 17, 2011

The Esha Theater Workshop has 2 formats – the children format is called 9Tanki and the office format is called Staged Encounters. We have retained the essential elements of experiential learning, and the rules are the same, just the story differs a little bit.
However, in this case, we decided to use the 9Tanki format for grown ups too.. and the results were HILARIOUS!

I am seriously wondering, now, whether we need 2 separate formats.. ur ideas?

Also, reproduced below, the feedback from the 9Tanki held on October 17, 2011 at SAP Gurgaon:-)

Radhika Sharma
This theater workshop gives us an opportunity to understand the concerns of a disabled person and helped us to understand to give something to society. Because everyting cannot be purchased.

Isha
This theater workshop brings new realisation towards the life of physically challenged people.
Enacting 10 minutes like them was getting difficult for us and we want it to finish soon. It is really difficult to imagine and live whole life with such disability.
Such workshops really enlighten people about conditions and situations in which these people live and on top of that overcoming their challenges and achieving all that which we, normal people, can’t.
One example is in front of us n form of Raju who is here to conduct this workshop.
Thanks Raju and thanks All.

Pranav Tewari
Today I saw a different way of life.
Eyes play 90% part of our perception of the universe. A day without eyes is like a dark, long night.
It was my honor to be part of this workshop and an act of self realisation.
Would like to be a part of the group more often.
A day without eyes is a day quite LONG.. and shallow.
Thank you!

Vipin Saroha
This is the first time I am part of this workshop. It was a great experience. Feeling the problems of people who are blind and for the people who are around them its a great thing for them. Even though with these disabilities these people are able to achieve whatever they want in their life is really amazing. I think we should do whatever we can do to help them realise their dreams.

Vatsala Kakroo
I have never been a part of this kind of an initiative/ workshop. For me, it has been a realisation of sorts to see, and feel, even if for just 10 minutes, what it means to lead a life with a disablility.
We can crib about all that we dont have but we fail to realise and appreciate what we have!

We are no doubt God’s blessed children but we need to realise that the ones wiht any sort of disability are surely God’s chosen ones.

We should count our blessings of course but at the same time gel and be a part of all the people, this society, with or without a disability.

A fantastic workshop and surely should be done more frequently.

Amit Hasija
It has been my pleasure to be a part of the Theater Workshop. IT does go a long way in sensitising a person towards people with disability. All of us need to realise that it becomes immensely difficult to enact a few minutes of a scenario with closed eyes. So it also makes us realise that we are gifted to hav a normal sight.
This workshop will go a long way for me to continue to work towards the cause of helping the blind.

Ashish Wahi

This was really an enlightening experience to enact and feel what difficulties the blind go through.
Even these 10 minutes were so difficult to pass and enact.
I do resolve to donate my eyes today.

Siddhartha Kalhansa
It was a fun exercise which even helped us realise how physical disability can hinder us even in the smallest task.
I would definitely like to attend the full workshop with all 3 disabilities covered.
Thanks to Raju, Suparnaa and Nidhi

Parul Upadhyaya
This was a very grounding experience. I have never done anything like this before and it made me realise how small and insignificant my day to day cribs and issues actually are!
Hats off to Raju and people who suffer similarly. They are the real heroes!

Gitu Bijlani
It was a great experience to get to learn about how difficult it is for the people who are blind to do their daily activities. How challenging it is for them to just go from one place to another.
I would definitely like to be part of any other workshop conducted by you on any other disability.

Feedback from the 9Tanki workshop at IIT D – DMS

The previous post was the trainer- Suparnaa Chadda’s view of the 9Tanki. This post is about what the students said after the workshop.

The original feedback sheets had us overwhlemed. These are some selected excerpts:

Visually challenged persons should be treated same with us as they are also like us. For they inspire us to take the spirit of living, I appreciate their sense of life and talent to go on throughout.
- Manas Prasad Dhanwar

I salute all those who have the courage and power to see the world without eyes.
I definitely plan to pledge my eyes after the learning I got today.
- Rohan Gupta

I will treat the blind with more respect from now on and not just with sympathy.
- Rakesh G

Today’s class is a one time life experience.
- Bijay Karunamay

We have light but they are the ones who bring light into their life by themselves . Hats off to all the stalwarts. Truly eye opener.
- Abhishek G

It was a great learning experience that made us realise how difficult it is for blind people to carry out daily routine work. It requires lots of talent and experience to survive in regular changing world without our eyes. It made me realise that our eyes are simply the best gift that God has given us and I would wish that we should ensure that our eyes enlighten other people’s lives after us through eye donation.
- Anil Kumar

It is really very difficult to pen down the exact feeling. Its something which only can be experienced.
- Amit Jaura

And finally, the teacher’s feedback:

Amazing experience and an eye opener.
- Dr. Jaijit Bhattacharya, who was responsible for making this workshop happen for the students.