Deafblind InternationalThe 2nd Asian Conference

January 29-31, 2006Dhaka, BangladeshPaper Presentation

Mr. Birendra Raj PokharelPresident

National Federation of the Disabled- Nepal

“ “Deaf-blindness -Breaking Deaf-blindness -Breaking Barriers”: Professionals and Barriers”: Professionals and parents in partnershipparents in partnership

• Title: Emergence of parents group Title: Emergence of parents group with the help of Professionals in with the help of Professionals in Nepal.Nepal.

Disability MovementDisability Movement

• Nepal lies in south Asian sub-continent Nepal lies in south Asian sub-continent between China and India. between China and India.

• A number of studies had been conducted A number of studies had been conducted but the prevalence rate has not been but the prevalence rate has not been standardized standardized

• Narrow Definition of the DisabilitiesNarrow Definition of the Disabilities

• PWDs gained freedom to establish Self PWDs gained freedom to establish Self Help Organizations (SHOs) only after 1990. Help Organizations (SHOs) only after 1990.

Self Help movement of Self Help movement of PWDsPWDs• raising activities to safeguard their rights raising activities to safeguard their rights

and interest. and interest. • National Federation of Disabled Nepal National Federation of Disabled Nepal

(NFDN) was established in 1993 (NFDN) was established in 1993 • focused works on advocacy, capacity focused works on advocacy, capacity

building, sensitization and awarenessbuilding, sensitization and awareness• Succeed to bring some legal provision.Succeed to bring some legal provision.• DPWA RulesDPWA Rules• NPPANPPA• Civil Service Act 2005 been observed.Civil Service Act 2005 been observed.

Overview of Deafblind in Nepal: The National Definition and classification on disabilities, endorsed,

Deafblindness are not accommodated. , the deafblind is considered as multiple disabilities,

the special attention has not been given to this category.

The education for the Blind children started since 1964 a Special School for Children with Hearing Impairment since 1966

No school for DB Children

Out Rich Servicessurvey has been conducted on Disabilities,

no particular studies made in the field of DB. Some professionals started home visit program

covering the PDB in two households in Kathmandu. the primary tasks made by Mr. Madhav Prasad

Aryal at the motivation of a British Volunteer Susana

Gibson and Mrs. Dale Davis who work for Hellen Keller

International in Nepal. the out reaches service for the DB Children is most

essential for providing support to them. counseling for developing self-confidence among the parents and orientating them to handle the

children with proper daily living activities. The out-rich service first time was undertaken by

every weekend

Support Centers for DB Children:Ankur Foundation for Inclusive Education

Hilton/Perkins Program in 2000 when it started home-to-home services with A team of three persons

Mr. Kirk Horton, Ms. Marianne Riggio and

Mr. Mike Collin visited home based services

Support include awareness creating, counseling, demonstration of skill training, meeting to Parents and Family members and basic training to concerned children and manpower development. two teachers became trained in the field of Deafblindness

the Deafblind section in the Naxal School for Deaf in Kathmandu has been established

technical and financial cooperation of DSI and the Danish Deafblind Parents Association.

The school has 8 staffs and has commenced the education for these children.

“Learning through play” is most appropriate strategy for the development of DB children and their communications.

Parrent’s attitude:In most of rural community, the parents have to look after their

livelihood Found to be escape from the child keeping them in somehow safe

position. The practices on storing them in the basket and swing them to

keep silent. Motor development of these Children is weak.

It has been observed in some children that, their lower limbs haven’t developed

Master Iswar Nepal, a boy of age 14 years has been left back by joining the school because

his lower limbs didn’t growth normally since, his parents always stored him in a curvy basket for 14 years.

Master Manoj Nepali, a boy of 9 years, the younger brother of Master Iswar have joined the school since, his lower limbs are getting normal with

physiotherapy services.

Ms. Shraddha Shahi, a girl of 11 years has started mobility after getting physiotherapy service with mobility

training. .

The coordinator Mr. Sugam Bhattarai has taken initiative and brought these children in the premises of DRF and have started

physiotherapy services and mobility training in weekly basis.

the key skills in daily living of DB children like self-care, feeding, dressing, mobility and communication should be developed

simultaneously undergone in the school premises.

Emergence of Parents Emergence of Parents group of DB Children:group of DB Children:

• The professionals urged to play vital roles for The professionals urged to play vital roles for educating the Parents mainstreaming them. educating the Parents mainstreaming them.

• it is realized that there is a strong need to start the it is realized that there is a strong need to start the harmony among the parents for consolidating effort harmony among the parents for consolidating effort through the establishment of parent support groupsthrough the establishment of parent support groups

• To provide them an opportunity to become To provide them an opportunity to become sensitized and acquire gainful knowledge sensitized and acquire gainful knowledge

• that has recently been succeeded with a help of that has recently been succeeded with a help of professionals in Nepal. Inherently the parents of the professionals in Nepal. Inherently the parents of the DB children started to be empowered and came DB children started to be empowered and came together for sharing the common problem relating together for sharing the common problem relating daily living activities, education and learning daily living activities, education and learning through play for the DB Children.through play for the DB Children.

Nepal Deafblind Parents Nepal Deafblind Parents AssociationAssociation

• presidency of Ms. Meena Shahi, the presidency of Ms. Meena Shahi, the Parents of DB Children has been Parents of DB Children has been registered.registered.

• started expand the network in urban started expand the network in urban to rural community. to rural community.

Recommendation:Recommendation:

• It is most essential the accommodation of Deafblind in It is most essential the accommodation of Deafblind in National definition and classification of Disability. National definition and classification of Disability.

• The data of the PDB should be established and updated. The data of the PDB should be established and updated. • The Parents group should come within the mainstream of The Parents group should come within the mainstream of

disability so that, the common voice can be made that disability so that, the common voice can be made that would be heard by the government.would be heard by the government.

• The situation for bringing out the DB children in community The situation for bringing out the DB children in community should be developed.should be developed.

• The awareness and confidence among the parents The awareness and confidence among the parents regarding the improvement of their children, the interest to regarding the improvement of their children, the interest to learn a skill for taking proper care of their respective learn a skill for taking proper care of their respective children should be encouraged. Specially attitude of children should be encouraged. Specially attitude of mothers should be improved so that she could adopt mothers should be improved so that she could adopt appropriate techniques for promoting her child.appropriate techniques for promoting her child.

• The Social Attitude should be changed which The Social Attitude should be changed which stigmatize and creates negative attitude that stigmatize and creates negative attitude that prevent the parents to talk about DB. prevent the parents to talk about DB.

• Professionals, Teachers and Technicians should be Professionals, Teachers and Technicians should be trained and adequate human resource should be trained and adequate human resource should be developing for implementing the program. The developing for implementing the program. The updated information should be provided to parents updated information should be provided to parents and Professionals. Conduct workshop and seminar and Professionals. Conduct workshop and seminar and share experiences and activities to be and share experiences and activities to be continued within the country and abroad.continued within the country and abroad.

• Continuous therapeutic and occupational services Continuous therapeutic and occupational services should be developed with specific training in the should be developed with specific training in the areas of concept development of relevant areas of concept development of relevant stakeholders.stakeholders.

Naxal School For the Deaf Naxal School For the Deaf should should Emphasize:Emphasize:

• It is vital to promote learning environment It is vital to promote learning environment with the factors like with the factors like

• visual, tactile, and social and classroom visual, tactile, and social and classroom environment environment

• That are needed for better learning. That are needed for better learning. • In this course of accommodating the DB In this course of accommodating the DB

children, the school should be aware of how children, the school should be aware of how the surroundings can most friendly be the surroundings can most friendly be designed.designed.

• Thanking for your attentionThanking for your attention