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

Traditional concepts of charity while noble in themselves can be difficult to sustain and can even turn into a crutch for those who otherwise can take their own steps if they are so encouraged. Hence, SFCD strives to teach these young adults ways to earn their living within their own space, standing tall in their own eyes and in the eyes of society.

In 1992, we launched Prabhat, a school for children with learning difficulties in Shakti Nagar. The choice of North Delhi was deliberate since this region had no such schools. And in fact, Prabhat is still the only special school there. Prabhat aims to provide students with an educational and training facility that will assist them acquire basic living and academic skills. And for the 70 students who study with us each year, the journey has only just begun…..

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 artists’ community. Specially made works of art 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.

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 the idea of creating a one-stop portal for providing data and information on disability law, rights, facilities and benefits for the assistance of persons with disabilities themselves and also their care- and service-providers. Since then till now the Disability India Network has grown to become India’s top website, a fact that was ratified when we won the Manthan Award in 2005. Encouraged by a vibrant discussion forum, and requests made by many upon benefiting from the compilation of legal cases from 1947 till date, we added an Online Legal Aid Cell to this website which provides pro-bono legal counsel to the disabled and their families.

At this point, SFCD was invited to conduct research and develop 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”. Training programs, focused discussion groups and counseling sessions form the backbone of the support network.  On the agenda are stress-busters like picnics and a monthly Dance session for adolescent siblings and peers. Many a parent and grandparent also join in the fun.

Besides the above, SFCD carries out integrated awareness and sensitization programmes with school students (both disabled and non-disabled) on topics like the Yamuna, recycling, vermi-composting, environment protection and so on, providing in the process, opportunities for interaction and the development of lifelong friendships between diverse groups of children.

Our journey over the last 17 years has been long and arduous, with the path full of barriers and challenges. We could never have come this far were it not for the many who believed in us, joined hands with us and walked with us – side by side.

We thank the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Delhi Government, Handicap International, National Commission for Women, World Bank, UNICEF, Sage Publications, Hewlett Packard, Diksha, India Habitat Center, Visual Arts Gallery, Global Arts Village, Chrysalis Investment, National Trust, Seher, FabIndia, Glaxo Smith Klein, the Community Friendly Movement, Asha for Education, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, Rotary International, Rotary Clubs of Delhi, Aruna Sinclair Foundation, Child Care Foundation, Parikrama Inc, for their help and support. We thank our many well wishers, sponsors and donors, many of whom contributed their personal finances in our darkest hours of need. We thank our artists who cared to declare that our paper and its makers were worthy partners…..

But do we end here? Our work will continue till our mission is achieved……..