GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIPS
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much
Government of Tamil Nadu
Amar Seva Sangam (ASSA) has partnered with Tamil Nadu’s Department for Welfare of Differently Abled in a pioneering collaboration to expand our Enabling Inclusion® (EI) model. Initially piloted in Tenkasi District, the EI® model demonstrated significant positive outcomes, leading to government support for its expansion to neighbouring districts, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin. This expansion was funded by Tamil Nadu’s government and Grand Challenges Canada.
Building on these successes, Tamil Nadu launched the World Bank-funded TN RIGHTS Project, a state-wide initiative supporting the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities (PwDs) through community-based rehabilitation. ASSA plays a crucial role in this project, with two team members working directly with the government to develop solutions based on the EI® model. The RIGHTS Project empowers PwDs of all ages with access to essential services, advocating for policy changes, awareness, and social inclusion across Tamil Nadu. NGOs, overseen by each district’s Disability Welfare Officer, will manage service delivery.
ASSA was awarded contracts to implement the RIGHTS Project in Tenkasi and Chennai districts, with the government-funded program launched in September 2024. This partnership continues ASSA’s commitment to promoting inclusive, community-driven solutions for PwDs across Tamil Nadu.
In Tenkasi District, the District Collector has delegated Amar Seva Sangam to operate and run their District Early Intervention centre, with the program using the Enabling Inclusion® app and model. Staff at various private and government departments, including Health (village health nurses, government hospital and private physicians), Education (school teachers), Child Welfare (Anganwadi workers) and Disability Dept refer children at risk or with potential developmental delays to the DEIC for assessment.
A multidisciplinary rehab and medical team conduct assessments of children referred, and facilitate further referral to either the Enabling Inclusion® home-based services, centre-based services or to therapy services offered at the DEIC. They may also be referred for further medical, surgical or assistive devices assessments and interventions.
Through our partner Sishu Saroti, the Golaghat District Early Intervention Centre in Assam, India is also using the EI® app and model. As we roll-out this program, the goal is for our DIEC to be a model for other districts and states to provide integrated early intervention services that will reach all children in need.
This initiative is funded by CSR and private foundations, highlighting an example of a successful private-public-NGO partnership.
We are currently collaborating with Bethany Society, an organization that is utilizing our Enabling Inclusion® App as part of their government-funded Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) program in Meghalaya. This partnership enables Bethany Society to leverage our technology in supporting persons with disabilities through their rehabilitation initiatives. Bethany Society is working with government of Meghalaya and they are deploying the EI app across the state for screening of children to identify those with disabilities. Bethany staff are working alongside government frontline workers to do this screening using our technology solution.
Our collaboration with both the government and Bethany Society aims to enhance the impact of the CBR program, ensuring that persons with disabilities receive comprehensive support and services across the state.
NIEPID (Formerly National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped) established in the year 1984 is an Autonomous Body under the administrative control of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India. NIEPID runs a resource and multidisciplinary clinical centre for children, youth and adults with disabilities with various rehabilitation departments such as physiotherapy, psychology, occupational therapy, speech therapy, etc.
Amar Seva Sangam and NIEPID signed an MOU on July 22, 2024. The MOU grants permission to NIEPID’s resource centre in Secunderabad, Telangana to use the Enabling Inclusion app. NIEPID has developed and validated several evaluation tools for the various domains of development and has given Amar Seva Sangam permission and access to incorporate these tools into the Enabling Inclusion app.
We are working on the incorporation of NIEPID developed scales in our EI app and following that will introduce new features in our app based on their suggestions.
