Aashyam Parents Association

Project Brief: Aashyam educates children with disabilities and other disadvantaged communities who lack adequate social-economic, educational, welfare and health facilities. Asha will be fund the salary for teachers and other recurring needs.
Project Type: Special Needs (description)
Primary Focus: children with disabilities (description)

Secondary Focus: other

Area: Rural
Supporting Chapter Contact: Kansas City
Status: current / ongoing
Project Steward: Radhakrishna Velagapudi
Project Partner(s): Laskhmi Kumari Suryadevara
Other Contacts:
Project Address: , H.No. 42-93/2, Plot No. 245, Jawahar Nagar Colony,Moula-Ali,Hyderabad,
TELANGANA  500040
Tel: 9959244558
Stewarding Chapter: Kansas City
Sep 2023Kansas CityUSD 3068
Jun 2023Kansas CityUSD 17844
May 2022Kansas CityUSD 15849
Apr 2020Kansas CityUSD 22615
Apr 2019Kansas CityUSD 14169
Nov 2018Kansas CityUSD 3526
Aug 2018Kansas CityUSD 5916
Nov 2017Kansas CityUSD 15495
Nov 2016Kansas CityUSD 12247
Dec 2015Kansas CityUSD 12464
Oct 2014Kansas CityUSD 7225

Total = $130418

Mentally retarded children can be trained and educated to make them sustain on their own and even succeed in gainful employment. Ashayam’s primary focus is to identify children with disabilities especially from poor families and train them. The society has started with only two children and now is providing training to 30 children. In addition to providing training to disabled children the society educates the parents of the disabled children and makes them aware of the possible opportunities. Parents who have lost hope or who were not aware of any such opportunities are able to recognize the potential of their children. Ashayam has conducted 5 awareness camps in the colonies of Moula-Ali, Hyderabad and also visited the homes of disabled children to counsel their parents.
Mrs. Lakshmi Kumari, founder of this society was inspired by the National Institute of Mentally Handicapped and joined with the mobile team in 2002 and started the voluntary service. She rendered service to children and conducted counseling service for the parents of mentally retarded children. She has continued her service independently for the welfare of mentally challenged children in Moula-ali area of Hyderabad. She has real empathy and dedication toward these children as one of her own child needed such education.
One of the immediate needs of the society is to have the financial support to hire specially trained teachers to help the mental growth and awareness of the children. The ideal student teacher ratio for disabled children is 6 to 1. Due lack of sufficient funds, Mrs. Lakshmi Kumari is trying to fill the gap with the help of other volunteers who are not formally trained.
The aim of the organization is to provide training and income generation activities to eligible Mentally Retarded Children with broad view to create placement facilities for them to obtain long term benefits. The society is providing training to 30 children in production of paper plates, paper bags, gift bags, Candles, Greeting cards with the assistance of an expert instructor.
Goal is to recruit trained teachers(vocational instructors) and provide appropriate education to the children to help them sustain on their own. Groom the kids from ‘Complete Dependency’ to ‘Self Sustain’ state.
The organization was founded by Mrs. Lakshmi Kumari with the co-operation of local philanthropic persons and committed social workers.

Since its inception, the organization has been seeking to improve the quality of life of disabled children, marginalized, impoverished from low income groups and other disadvantaged sections through sustainable development programs.
The National Trust for Welfare of persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental retardation and Multiple disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment launched the Spandan Special Performance Awards to felicitate people who either did something extraordinary despite their disabilities or dedicated their lives to make the world a better place for the differently abled.
Mrs. S. Lakshmi Kumari won the Best Individual (Parent) in the Female category. The award was presented to her by the Honorable minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Mr. Mukul Wasnik on September 5th, 2012, at an event organised by the National Trust at Teen Murti Bhawan, New Delhi.