Angel of hope: A woman’s mission to heal differently-abled children

After her five-month-old son Ayaan was diagnosed with Opsoclonus Myoclonus Syndrome (OMS), a rare and severe neurological disorder, and faced with the absence of physiotherapy facilities in rural areas, Alka Sharma of Chattar in Fatehpur subdivision made a courageous decision. She vowed to provide physiotherapy, speech therapy and acupressure treatments free of cost to differently abled children so that no parent would endure the struggles she and her husband, Neeraj, faced while treating their son.

With her husband’s support — and by selling jewellery worth Rs 5 lakh — Alka registered an NGO, Angel Disability & Orphanage Home, to fulfil her mission. She started the disability & orphanage home in September 2018 with 20 children at her home. After losing her son in March last year, she continued her work with renewed determination. With the help of philanthropists, she shifted the disability & orphanage home to Bhagwal in the Jawali constituency. Before the relocation in August last year, she again sold jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh to construct the new premises.

Through modern physiotherapy and acupressure technology, over 30 children have regained near-normal lives, while around 160 differently abled children, aged 1 to 24, have been treated since the disability & orphanage home’s inception. At present, 30 children are receiving care. The NGO provides pick-and-drop services to nearby areas and hostel accommodation for five children. A local philanthropist has also donated an ambulance.

The NGO additionally shelters two orphaned children, offering full care and support. Speaking to The Tribune, Alka said the recovery of children is her greatest motivation. Twenty-five children currently attend daycare therapy with transport facilities, while children from distant places, including Chamba, Palampur and even outside Himachal, stay in the hostel.

A staff of 12, including physiotherapists, a speech therapist, caregivers and a yoga instructor, is deployed at the disability & orphanage home. “Along with physiotherapy and acupressure, yoga practices help strengthen the overall physical health of children,” Alka said. She added that modern therapeutic techniques have been highly effective in improving physical function and managing chronic musculoskeletal conditions.