The Dr Shankarbhai K. Mewada Lions Divyang Education and Training Centre for Children with MR and MD was inaugurated at Chaman Bag in Palanpur on December 7, 2019 on the ground and first floor of the ancestral home of the Late Kantibhai Chamanbhai Mehta (Bhai) Parivar.
 

The new Day Care Centre was inaugurated by Sandip Sangale, District Collector, Banaskantha and Pranav Desai, Founder, VoiceofSAP in the presence of Mehulbhai Mehta, representing the family and other dignitaries.

The centre , which will care for children who are intellectually and physically challenged, will be managed by the Blind People’s Association (India), an Ahmedabad headquartered NGO.

The Centre will be an extension of the well known Lions Hospital in Jagana Road, Palanpur. As part of its community outreach programmes, the Hospital has been reaching out to differently-abled children in the city and offering a number of health care and rehabilitation services.

In the course of this outreach, the field workers have identified nearly 100 children with severe disabilities such as cerebral palsy, multiple disabilities, and hearing and speech impairments, all of who need intensive services in a Day Care Centre.  

To meet this need, The Blind People’s Association, Ahmedabad and Lions Club of Palanpur Charitable Trust, Palanpur jointly signed an MOU to run a centre, which was opened on the hospital premises in 2017 as the Dr Shankar K. Mewada Divyang Education and Training Centre.  

In 2019, the Centre will now be located at the Chaman Bag building provided by the “Bhai Parivar”, which is a disabled-friendly premises with total accessibility. It will provide services to 30 to 35 children with disabilities on a day-to-day basis.

Some of the activities undertaken by the Centre include an Information Center, where support in applying for concessions and services provided by the government for people with disabilities is provided and aids and appliances can be availed of; a Resource Center for Functional / Clincal Assessment Services and Physiotherapy Services offered by qualified and trained professionals; Vocational Training Activities for People with Disabilities  in making paper bags, paper bowls, artificial jewellery, diyas, rakhi etc. and regular Parents Training Meetings.

All the activities are monitored and mentored by Blind People’s Association, Ahmedabad with regular visits from Ms. Krupa Velani senior officer of the institute.

In future, the Centre aims to expand its activities to include providing Speech Therapy Services and also arrange Home Based Services for those who face severe handicaps. It has invited donations for the project to cover the estimated annual cost of Rs 7.26 lakh.