Project Brief: Sebama Foundation runs a residential school for mentally handicapped, physically disabled and hearing impaired children on the outskirts of Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu. The school is the only one of its kind in the area.
Project Type: Children with Disabilities (description)
Primary Focus: children with disabilities (description)

Secondary Focus: vocational training

Area: Rural
Supporting Chapter Contact:
Colorado

Status: CLOSED - ENDED
Project Steward: Minu Palani
Project Partner(s): N Raj Jeba Durai Durai
Project Address: Sebama Foundation
Sebama Foundation, Mercy Home
Sogathur Cross Road, Post Box 2,
Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu 636703
Tel: 91-4342-281429
Stewarding Chapter: Colorado

First Data Western Union Foundation has made a generous donation of $73,000.00 to Asha for Education – Colorado Chapter towards the construction of classroom building for Sebama Foundation (SF). It is the first and largest single donation made by any individual or institution in the history of Asha for Education. The construction is now complete and the building is named - Asha Nilayam - For more information - <a href="http://www.ashanet.org/colorado/sebama_colorado/sebamaconst2004index.html">click here</a>

Sebama Foundation runs a residential center called ‘Mercy Home’ for children with orthopedic, hearing and developmental disabilities in Dharmapuri District of Tamil Nadu, India. There are three schools on-site with a total of about 240 children.

The grant from Western Union Foundation will enable SF to have a new classroom building for the children comprising of 16 rooms comprising of classrooms and other rooms for science laboratory, medical, Staff, Administration and a multi-purpose room. The construction is well underway since April 2004 and anticipated to finished by end of 2004.

Mercy Home comprises three schools :
1. St. Joseph’s Welfare school for the orthopedically handicapped (Std I to XII) - there are 143 children enrolled (95 boys and 48 girls).
2. St. Mary’s School for the Deaf (Std I to V) - there are 56 children currently enrolled (32 boys and 24 girls).
3. Rosa Vocational Rehabilitation Center for the Mentally Retarded - this center currently has 30 children (18 boys and 9 girls).

Asha Colorado is currently collaborating with Sebama Foundation on the Rosa Vocational Rehabilitation Center for Mentally Retarded children. Asha Colorado launched the <a href="http://www.ashanet.org/colorado/projects/sac.html">Support a Child</a> program for the children at this center in October 2002. If you would like to support a child anytime please contact us.

Most often, due to a lack of awareness, mentally challenged children are brutalized and abused as they are thought to be possessed by spirits. Sebama Foundation wishes to build a residential school for these children so that the abuse can be minimized while simultaneously maximising the chances for those children with minimal mental problems, to lead an independent life.

Sebama Foundation started the Rosa center with 12 children who were evaluated by a mental health administrator to determine whether each child could be educated. WIthin a short time, the number of children has increased to 30. Brother Rayan says that he gets frequent requests from nearby villages to add more children.

The center has hired one special teacher and three ayahs to help the children who can be educated to be eventually assimilated into Mercy home. Children whose mental health does not permit them to educated are trained in simple tasks like cleanliness and hygiene, performing their day to day activities, arranging files, looking after the farm animals, packaging etc. In addition to helping the children, Sebama Foundation also aims to train the parents in the special needs required for their children. Following the 2003 Budget proposal, Asha has requested Brother Ryan to add one more special teacher to improve the student to teacher ratio.