NGO for autistic children marks 11 yrs of service

Members of the Altering Perceptions of Autism and Assisting in Rehabilitation (APAAR) NGO, based in Jalandhar, marked 11 years of their service at an event hosted in Jalandhar.

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APAAR employs special educators to rehabilitate adults with autism and other intellectual disabilities who are now labelled neurodiverse in contrast with the neurotypical majority populations.

APAAR founder Dr Navneet Bhullar said neurodiverse young men and women have been marginalised by society and sometimes by their own families in Jalandhar although in better ecosystems, they are members of the mainstream society. APAAR exists to change that, she said.

Dr Bhullar started with a review of APAAR’s mounting challenges and small achievements over the past year, the most prominent being insufficient accommodation after PIMS stopped providing space for the NGO in January this year.

Dr Bhullar pointed out that a majority of the caregivers of the ill and disabled worldwide are women, mostly unpaid for this relentless hard labour, toiling ceaselessly, with no leave or holidays. The award is named after APAAR trustee Davinder Pal Bhullar who suffered major health challenges, yet provided caregiving to her frail husband and neurodiverse son with determination and immense resilience. She passed away suddenly in January 2024.

A running presentation of photographs of APAAR's work throughout the past year were also put up. A partnership between Sparsh special school, Jalandhar Cantt and APAAR families has been initiated to form a caregiving support and rest community. Dr Pallavi Khanna, guest of honour at APAAR Abhaar today, who is counsellor and psychologist at Sparsh, said, “APAAR and Sparsh families meet for socials monthly. We exchange innovations in the field of communication and updates in other spheres.”

Dr Bhullar said APAAR also facilitates skill development elsewhere to place clients in jobs outside the sheltered workshop.

SDM Adampur Vivek Kumar Modi was the guest of honour. He handed out APAAR workers their earnings. Families described the impact APAAR had had on their neurodiverse sons’ lives. APAAR volunteer Daljit Singh Gill urged the SDM to help provide APAAR a suitable building and named a government building with ample space and empty halls.

APAAR’s annual award called Dastaan-e-Hind was awarded for exceptional caregiving to Asha Bhatia whose son Arun is now 40. He has cerebral palsy and partial blindness and has been wheelchair-bound most of his life.

Members said APAAR faces major logistical challenges and local government and medical infrastructure had shown no interest in partnering in any way.

Pooja Arora, member APAAR advisory committee, said, “Cities like Hoshiarpur are showing the way in rehabilitating the neurodiverse with Red Cross and government-initiated coffee kiosks. In Jalandhar, residents lack that kind of consciousness. In fact, one similar cafe started by the Red Cross in Jalandhar failed, as some residents objected to it.”