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Purwi Saxena
M.A. in Social Work (TISS, Mumbai). Duration of Fieldwork: From 11th January 2021 to 30th April 2021

Fieldwork Impressions

The moment I entered Shishu Sarothi, my first interaction was with the staff members sitting at the reception desk. There were three of them and each individual was equally hardworking and dedicated to their work. They didn’t let anyone enter the premises without signing the entry register, checking their temperatures and sanitizing their hands. I am specifically mentioning this observation because all the three individuals had some form of locomotor disability, but that didn’t hold them back from doing their work with utmost dedication. This contradicts the general perception attached to people with disability, how they are automatically associated with being ‘dependent’ on others, incapable to do any form of work, etc. This first impression was a huge eye opener for me. Shishu Sarothi Centre for Rehabilitation & Training for Multiple Disability, works in the field of disability in the areas of education, rehabilitation, awareness, advocacy, early intervention, employment generation, legal aid and protection of rights for persons with disability in the North-Eastern part of India. Another thing I observed was that there was no gender disparity in the organization. Almost equal number of males and females (including people with disability) were employed. The premise has space for children to play, with attractive posters and information brochures displayed all over, good amount of space is available for waiting area. Each unit of the organization is allotted their separate space, has their own staff members, which I feel is very important for the positive productivity of each department and avoids unnecessary overlapping of work. The different units are decorated in a very colorful, child friendly manner with interactive toys, having separate rooms for counselling, physiotherapy and speech therapy. All the therapies/lessons which are practiced with the children, are nicely explained to the care givers, so they can practice them with the child at home and be equally involved in the development of the child. This has proved especially effective during the lockdown period, because the therapy sessions were not interrupted and children kept on receiving the therapies from their parents. Interning at the different units of CIE & EIU, allowed me to understand the importance of early intervention, inclusive education, impact of the various therapies and home management plans. Each unit opened my mind to a different dimension of disability along with the various approaches and goals depending on the need and ability of a person. Through my observations, I understood the importance of rapport building, progressing with the child at his/her own pace, being patient with the child. I could understand the level of patience and detailed planning that is required to teach the basic activities of daily living. From observing the teacher’s interaction with the parents, I could see the efforts put in by the teachers to motivate the parents, to show them a positive future for their children but at the same time asking them to limit their expectations and not to compare their children with others. The Disability Law Unit (DLU) has developed a website rpwd.shishsusarothi.org, where information pertaining to the RPwD Act and other schemes are available for persons with disabilities, both at the national and state level, thereby bringing all the resources/information on a single platform, to make things easier for people with disability. I also observed that at Shishu Sarothi, they keep on having events with large gatherings throughout the year. The different units organize various events, that removes the monotony of work and give everyone a chance to unwind and bond with others. Being part of such gatherings is very important for people with disabilities, as it brings them out of their homes, boosts their confidence, brings a sense of belonging and prevents them from feeling left out. Being around people gives them a chance to interact with others, knowing that the organization is a judgement free zone. Such events are also important for parents of children with disability as they get to meet other parents, share their feelings with them knowing that they would be able to empathize with them. They can see that their children are not alone, they also belong somewhere, they can learn new things from other parents’ experiences. Children who have moved out of Shishu Sarothi are also invited to many events and the teachers feel very happy interacting with them. This also acts as a huge motivating factor for the teachers, knowing that they have been an integral part of the person’s journey. The four months of fieldwork at Shishu Sarothi were full of new experiences and learning for me. It gave me an opportunity to connect my academic leanings with physical experiences, helped me understand the sector of disability better by learning from experienced and dedicated individuals.