Pehal resource centre launches creative campaigning to sensitise people on disability

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 28

The Pehal resource centre, to promote education for disabled and create awareness regarding the rights of the disabled, has been collaborating with local artiste and theatre groups for creative campaigning. Recently, it staged a street play to create awareness for saving and educating the girl child, which was held in collaboration with Naari Chetna Manch.

It also collaborated with theatre artist Emmanual Singh to make a short film “Naajo”, based on the story of a girl with disability fighting for her right to education. Its project Umeed, aimed at providing skill development to students with physical and mental disabilities too has been promoted through street plays. Co-ordinator Dharminder Gill, who is working on the project under the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, says that the projects have already proved fruitful, as they have managed to register a good number of disabled students. “The focus is on providing education to those with limited means and access. Apart from education, we also aim to give them employment opportunities. Since our society has still a lot to learn about people with disabilities, these creative ways get the message across, without being preachy.”

Project Umeed, under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, has already been able to reach out to 125 disabled students at Pehal and the centre will collaborate with more self-help groups to increase that number. Meanwhile, the street plays and projects also help the kids express their creative side. “A few of our students acted in that short film “Naajo” and theatre workshops helped some of them hone their natural talent.”