FAMILY’S PERSPECTIVEON

SOCIAL INCLUSION

|Pauzagin Tonsing

Centre for Community Initiative (CCI)Churachandpur, Manipur

www.communityinitiate.org

“People said to me, ‘What sins have you

committed to be cursed with a disabled

child?’ and I stay clear of the

society to protect myself and my child.”

Born as individual but come together and form a group – family, friends, society, community, etc. Forming group means belonging, sharing,

participating, adapting, connecting, opportunities, security, etc

as we are social being

In a society where a person with disabilities is looked upon

as a retribution for past misdeeds, how would the

person and his family ever have a place in a society? How

would they fit all in in one size fits all society?

To expect the unconditional love of parents and family from a society which has not been sensitized on the issues of

disability, more often than not leads to disappointment and

frustration for the parents and family members.

It was upto the family to help create an inclusive society for

their children.

However, some parents of persons with disabilities have a

concept that they are to be pitied and need others help, in which case they usually feel “unable” and have a low sense of self-

esteem.

Yes, the experiences of living with a differently-abled individual is a

uniquely subjective one. The family’s role in creating an

inclusive society will depend on whether they view disability as

an impediment or as a variant of ‘-ability’.

With parents viewing disability as a variant of ‘-ability’, they must get the world to try feel

and try imagine as parents and family do!

Only then can many many more try to do something...

I, for one, a doting father of a boy with visual impairment of 7 years ...

for all my care and closeness know as good as nothing of what my dear son

is going through, and nothing whatsoever about what he wants out

of life! But, let me take you to the case of our struggle for including us in the

society

impediment

In 2006, we start visiting other parents of children with disabilities at their home. Then, we began an

informal group meeting, who shared and discussed the various hardships we faced in caring our

child.

The group provided the much needed moral support and

confidence where we found comfort in our common

experiences.

A campaign was begun to make parents break away from their fear of society’s scrutiny and put their

child’s needs first.Parents who look disability as an

‘impediment’ are counselled.

As there is no service or support where we can seek advice in the

District, we empower ourselves by obtaining information through

books, internet and random mails to various organisation who gave

us valuable advice.

Later, it was felt necessary to make the larger society aware of our

experiences. make people aware of the challenges that

we are facing make them empathize with our

circumstances, and not to stigmatize Make them understand disability,

So we approach CBOs through various means

Yes, they were looked upon with sympathy and kind words and words like ‘blessing in disguise’

were used to infer to them. It has impact to some extend though CBOs and civil society

has limitation.

By 2009, things became less bleak as a result of the campaigns

and people became more receptive to the idea that it is a part of their social and moral

duty to help persons with disabilities.

In 2010, one major break through was the help extended by the

church which is the single most powerful institution and most

influential in the society.

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As the parents became more aware of the need of a school

where we can send our children, by the beginning of 2010, around 10 parents who were genuinely

interested in starting such a school began a campaign

The traditional perception of disability as opposed to the

scientific explanation still persisted within the community and the

campaign for starting a school was looked upon with scepticism and

ridicule.

However, with the support and constant encouragement of intellectuals with liberated thoughts and the District

Administration, a school for the ‘malsawmte’ (blessed ones), THE MALSAWM INITIATIVE

(A School for Children with Special Needs)

was started in 2011.

So, i would not be standing here had not God blessed me with Malsawm,

And i stand here because of parents of malsawmte who come forward and join

hands to fight for their children

Due to their effort society today is, to some how, aware of their moral responsibilities

towards malsawmte

And make malsawmte as one of them.

To conclude,

People said to the mother that they would take the girl for

practising choir while she is not in the school and take her to church

on Sunday.

“People said to me, ‘What sins have you

committed to be cursed with a disabled

child?’ and I stay clear of the

society to protect myself and my child.”

THANK YOU