About Samata Shikshan Prasarak Mandal - SSPM in 21 Malhar Peth, Satara

VISION
A society that does not discriminate against disabled people.
A world where disabled people are treated with equality.
An environment that gives disabled people equal opportunity and empowers them, hence enabling the disabled.

MISSION
To make our students self sufficient, independent and to make them valuable members of society.

To tap talent from persons with disabilities in order to exploit the skills and abilities they posses, so we can enable them to become part of the modern world.

INSPIRATION FOR CAUSE
In 1980, in Koregaon taluka which is within the Satara district of Maharashtra, one bonded laborer was murdered. Mr. Parth Polke decided to look into this case. He found the bonded labourer had two dumb and deaf children who used to depend on their father to earn a living for them and for the rest of the family. He felt helpless and very sad. He says this situation inspired him to start a non-governmental organization for such needy and neglected children. He started an organization called Samata Shikshan Prasarak Mandal in 1984. Currently, this organization is running a school for dumb and deaf and mentally challenged children.

SCHOOLS-
Our Infrastructure:-

Samata Shikshan Prasarak Mandal has own buildings where the organization has been providing school and hostel facilities since September 4, 1989. The Hostel is situated couple of miles away from city. Seventy five students staying at the hostel, accommodation of twenty five students is sponsored by the state government and the remaining fifty students expenses are incurred by the organization.

DEAF AND DUMB SCHOOL
The main objective of the school is to strengthen and empower children’s social, educational and mental health.

We are teaching special students, regular curriculum, which is designed for students with normal hearing and vocal capacities by education board of government. The school has hundred percent result, so far the students appeared for Xth standard state board exam, all of them have qualified it with excellent grades.

Along with main subjects our students study crafting, sewing and drawing, screen printing, greeting card, book binding etc. Their craft work is showcased and presented in various exhibition organized at various places within city in order to provide employment opportunities for our students. Through vocational training and skill development students got employment opportunities at various small scale industries in M.I.D.C. (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation).

Several students had completed vocational training through industrial training institute and successfully secured the job and some of them got married with fellow students from institution with the support of SSPM.


MENTALLY CHALLENGED SCHOOL
Organization realized the issues of mentally retarded children are equally serious as that of deaf and dumb children issue and there were no organizations working on it in late 90’s. Therefore, in 1989 organization has started a school for mentally retired children.

The main objective of the school is to strengthen and empower the mentally challenged children for their social and mental health. We are teaching student’s music, drawing, crafting along with regular curriculum. We believe that developing self esteem among students through vocational training is more important than their regular education. As of now 251 mentally challenged students have completed their education.

GET INVOLVED-

PARTNERING THROUGH CSR
Its widely known that for enterprises of any size CSR is the only way through which the company can achieve a balance of economic, environmental and social goals.

SSPM is ready to partner with small, middle and big enterprises to create relevant CSR program for each. We will do our best to maximize Your impact and build up Your credibility. We believe in working hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder for a cause to make a better society, a society where people with disabilities would be treated equally.

VOLUNTEERING
Volunteering is a great way to impact lives of those who are on need and enlarge you footprint in society.

Volunteering in India is unique blend of working and cultural experience. Indian culture is an incredible mix of diverse traditions, languages, cuisines – our volunteers integrate right into it.

Please inform us which skills you would like to utilise during volunteering, your preferred duration, your previous social work experience (if any) and we will design your volunteering program together.

Our doors are always open for you!

FUTURE PROJECT
Vocational Training

We have referred various students to industrial training institute after Secondary school certificate. Many students got the jobs at local industrial zone with the support of institute. Recently, state government has stopped industrial training institutes for deaf and dumb and mentally challenged children. Due to this our students are not able to get employment opportunities. Therefore, here is immediate need of industrial training institute which will insure capacity building, training and skill development which will lead to employment opportunities and self esteem of students.

Goal of the Future Project: -

To equip students to get employment opportunities in order to make them self-dependent, increase the self-esteem and confidence among the deaf and dumb as well as handicapped children by providing them vocational training through Industrial Training Institute,and its principle objectives are to

♦ To build a vocational skill and capacities among the deaf – dumb and handicapped children.

The strength of the each course will be 15 students in a year. We will use our existing infrastructure for class room and hostel however supports for staff salary and start up investment is needed to purchase necessary equipments and appliances. Following course would be started within the organization premises.

♦ Computer Course.
♦ Plumbing Course.
♦ Welding Course.
♦ Tailoring Course.
♦ To develop a confidence and positive attitude among general communities about the deaf-dumb and handicapped children.

All the below activities will help to build a positive attitude and confidence among the student and their families about themselves. The public meeting and exhibition will provide a platform for student to explore their skills and capacities to general society which will lead to self employment and hence employment opportunities.

♦ Exhibition of greeting cards, craft etc.
♦ Public meeting with secondary stake holders.
♦ Individual and family counseling.
♦ Community event of student and parents.
♦To create a placement cell: meeting with employer for recruitment of dumb and deaf person in relevant companies.

These activities will help to sensitize an employer to understand a capacities, skills and limitation of students which will lead to proper work allocation to students. This will also develop a rapport between students, employer and school to deal with crisis in future which will support student to ensure a sustainability of employment.

♦ Identification of Industries within local industrial zone such as MIDC.
♦ Placement meeting with employer.
♦ Industrial exposure visit to students.
♦ Involving industrial owner to create employment for ITI certified students.
Activity Work Plan:-

Institutes would undertake following activities on monthly basis over a year.

Activity

♦ Infrastructure set up for all courses including purchase of necessary equipment and appliances.
♦ Individual and family counseling.
♦ Community event of student and parents.
♦ Exhibition of greeting cards, craft etc.
♦ Public meeting with secondary stake holders.
♦ Identification of Industries within MIDC.
♦ Advocacy and sensitization meeting with employer.
♦ Involving industrial owner to ITI activities.
♦ Industrial exposure visit to students.
Capacity Building:-

Samata Shikshan Prasarak Mandal has an experience of running a primary and secondary school for deaf and dumb and mentally challenged children. Our staff is trained with special skills and capacities to educate the children. We will recruit a committed staff for the Industrial training Institutes and provide training to them by our existing trainer.

Sustainability Plan:-

We are already trying to convince Government for the Industrial training Institute to special children nevertheless government has adopted a policy of privatization of education system & giving permission as non grantable school even for deaf and dumb children. This project will create a evidence to government and civil society that special children has a skill and capacities to work and self employment which will enable us to convince government for providing special grant for special children school/training institution.


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