Date:03/09/2010 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2010/09/03/stories/2010090351120100.htm
Front Page NGO offers helpline for disabled Karthik Madhavan COIMBATORE: Finally, there is one place where all persons with disabilities (PWDs) can turn to - if not for all their needs, at least for most. U and Disabled (UDIS) Forum, an NGO working for PWDs, has set up a helpline offering a host of services. "It will be a one stop shop for PWDs," says M.N.G. Mani of UDIS. By dialling 0422 2405551 or 0422 2648006 or 99445 56168 one can learn about the schemes devised by Central and State governments for PWDs, the schemes available for education or service organisation that wish to assist PWDs, how to access disability-related facilities from various sources, about assistive devices and their availability, referral centres for education and rehabilitation, disability components in public and private sector enterprises and employment opportunities in industries. They can also access information related to disabled people's organisations and parents' groups, important national and international developments on disability and database on disabled persons. Mr. Mani, who is also the Secretary General of the International Council for Education of People With Visual Impairment, says that the helpline is also open for those who want to assist PWDs. "Say, an organisation might want to recruit such people and it might be interested in knowing if any of the governments provide grant or not. Even such information is available at the helpline." "The challenged people can access the helpline to gather information about whom to contact for their needs, what documents to be submitted, if they are availing of a scheme, and where to look for a job." He further says: "In effect the helpline aims at involving all stakeholders, optimising their efforts and bridging the gap between PWDs and others." Information Information will be available between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the helpline. Assistance will also be available to those who visit the UDIS Forum in person. They can get forms for various schemes, aside from information. As for the database on PWDs, he says the details will be gathered with assistance from the District Disabled Welfare Office. And the UDIS advisory committee for helpline will meet periodically and update information. E RENUKA, SECTION OFFICER, ICT CENTRE FOR VISUALLY CHALLENGED, CHMK LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY OF CALICUT CALICUT, UNIVERSITY P O, MALAPPURAM DISTRICT, KERALA. Voice your thoughts in the blog to discuss the Rights of persons with disability bill at: http://www.accessindia.org.in/harish/blog.htm To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
