Society For Child Development (SFCD)

About Us

The Beginning:

Driven by our conviction that there is a way to create a world of equal opportunities for people with disabilities, the Society for Child Development (SFCD) was founded as a non-profit organization in 1992 to establish programs and initiatives for its actualization.

In the beginning, we launched Prabhat, a school for children with learning difficulties in Shakti Nagar. Prabhat aims to provide students with an educational and training facility that will assist them in acquiring basic living and academic skills.

At the age of 18, students transfer to the Vocational Training Center to learn market-driven skills and crafts. Regularity, precision, innovation and creativity are the keywords at the center.

Thus, the pure white 300 gsm acid-free deckle-edged handmade paper produced by some of our papermakers has found great favor with the artist community.

Specially made works by leading Indian artists using the paper as their canvas are showcased during the Art for Prabhat exhibitions and a part of the proceeds are used to further develop the programs of the Society.

Expansion

But the road to development is not about school and vocational education alone. At SFCD we have for long lamented the difficulty in accessing information related to disability issues. In 1999, we took matters into our own hands and embarked on a unique website called the Disability India Network.

Encouraged by the enthusiastic responses we added an Online Legal Aid Cell which provides pro-bono counsel to the disabled and their families.

SFCD conducts research and develops accessible reports and publications for wide dissemination. The World Bank, National Commission for Women, and Handicap international have been among our sponsors.

To expand the scope and extend our reach further, in 2004, we set-up a Parent Support Network to provide a forum for parents to benefit from each others' experience and to bring home the truth that "a well informed parent makes a better parent."

Because of this expansion, the Society for Child Development now includes a variety of programs and initiatives to promote the rights of persons with disabilities from several angles.

Beyond the immediate grasp of our projects, we hope that SFCD has touched the lives of many more, from the generous individuals who attend the Art for Prabhat exhibits, to those who use our non-toxic Holi colors, to those who enjoy seeing a cleaner Yamuna.

We hope that this expansion will enable us to move closer towards our goal of a more equal future for persons with disabilities.

Number of members on the Executive Committee:	13
Number of employees at the Main Office:	12
Number of employees at Prabhat:	14
Number of employees at the Vocational Training Center:	11
Number of employees at the Production Center:	12
Number of employees at Apne Sahare Living Center:	3
Number of volunteers:	12
TOTAL	77

Number of parents in the Parent Support Network:	667
Number of students participating in the Clean Yamuna project:	40,000
Number of people provided jobs through Avacayam:	1,000
Number of individual in slums surveyed and/or given legal counsel through the Legal Literacy Campaign:	108
Number of people given legal counsel through the Online Legal Aid Cell:	100
Number of members on the Disability India discussion board:	1500
Number of artists involved in Art for Prabhat:	300
Number of students at Prabhat:	58
Number of students at the Vocational Training Center:	17
Number of residents at the Apne Sahare Living Center:	2
TOTAL	43,752

SFCD today:

Today, the SFCD uses a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach to address the needs of persons with disabilities.

	Thus, our projects provide services for immediate relief for those in need of legal resources, a job, information on disability, or the advice of parents of the disabled.
	Second, we provide services that lead to long-term benefits, such as vocational training and education so that persons with disabilities may live independently in the future and research reports and publications to expand our knowledge and understanding of disability.
	Finally, while it is important for persons with disabilities to learn how to cope with their disability, it is simultaneously important for the government to acknowledge the contribution it must make to help create a more equal future. Therefore, the third branch of our activities seeks to reform the government and society's treatment of persons with disabilities. Thus, we have initiated an Online Legal Aid Cell to defend persons with disabilities in courts, and several projects to promote the integration and inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Looking Ahead:

Our journey over the last 17 years has been long and arduous, with the path full of barriers and challenges. However, we have continued to expand in the hopes that we can create a world of equal opportunities for people with disabilities.

We thank our many well wishers, sponsors and donors who have helped us along this journey. We could never have come this far were it not for their support. As we continue our journey, we hope that a more equal future lies ahead and we will continue our work until this mission is achieved.

If you would like to learn more about Society for Child Development, or if you would like to find out how you can get involved, please volunteer. We always welcome new members to the SFCD family.