|  DEEDS
(Development, Education, Empowerment of the Disadvantaged
in Society) is a Bandra-based NGO committed to helping visually
and hearing impaired children.
In 1999 DEEDS was just a vision of 10 friends who set out
to stand up for the cause of the empowerment of these children
and in 2001 this vision became a reality.
Says Mini Chadha, one of the founders and trustees of DEEDS,
"There were no special facilities in our society for hearing
and speech impaired children. We wanted to give these kids
a platform and work towards their own progress and employment."
According to Pratibha Rao, chief operating officer (CEO),
DEEDS, one out of every 100 Indian children has a hearing
or speech problem.
"Only two in every 20 of these children makes it through school,"
says Rao. "We have focussed all our attention and energy on
this one area instead of focussing on all underprivileged
children," she adds.
The main aim of DEEDS is to make hearing and speech impaired
people financially self-reliant and contributing members of
society. To do this they focus on education, training in vocational
skills and job placements. "We want to enrich the lives of
10,000 hearing impaired people by the end of this decade,"
says Rao.
 At
present DEEDS supports an institute for the hearing and speech
impaired in Dehradun called the Bajaj Institute of Learning,
where 115 deaf children are given education from the pre-primary
level to Class 10 free of cost.
"Our efforts do not end here. Our main aim is not simply to
educate and train these people but to ensure a job after their
training is over," explains Rao.
To guarantee job absorption, DEEDS is supporting a unit
that makes watch straps for Titan Industries in Dehradun.
They are also co-ordinating a project with Helen Keller institute
for Deaf and Deafblind and Net Vista, a company which will
provide work to at least 50 hearing impaired youth for scanning
and processing documents.
Rao reveals that the NGO also functions as an event management
company so they can make money to support these activities.
"We do not want to beg for money so we organise entertainment
events and the proceeds go to DEEDS.
We've organised art exhibitions at Out of The Blue restaurant,
movie screenings like Koi Mil Gaya and Lakshya among
others," says Rao, adding, "To sum it up, we're all about
turning disabilities into abilities."
Call Pratibha Rao on 9820231158
DEEDS organised health check-up camp on
Aug 8
On Aug 8, a health check-up camp was organised
by DEEDS at St Joseph's Convent.
This camp was attended by over 300 hearing and speech impaired
children from all over Mumbai and around 20 doctors.
"We were approached by many NGOs who said a lot of children
were falling sick because of the weather so we decided to
organise this heath check-up free of cost for the children
which would otherwise cost them around Rs 1,500," says Rao.
Well-known film star Salman Khan graced the occasion and lit
a traditional lamp. Salman Khan and David Dhawan's wife Lali
Dhawan also contributed generously towards funds for organising
the camp.
How you can help DEEDS
. Your company can sponsor a play, a movie
or exhibition
. You can sponsor the education of a child
. Any donation will be welcome
. Donate your time as a volunteer to work with the hearing
and speech impaired
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