1. Dakshinya Special School
2. Dakshinya Vocational Training Centre
3. Dakshinya Early Intervention Centre
4. Dakshinya Samarth – Center Based Scheme
5. Dakshinya Community Based Rehabilitation Program
6. Dakshinya Sheltered Workshop Program
7. Dakshinya Quality & Inclusive Education
8. Dakshinya Training Centre

Classes
More than 274 children are getting exclusively designed special education services with qualified professionals. The stages of the classes, running for different mental age groups are classified as Pre-Primary, Primary, Secondary, Pre-Vocational and Vocational Classes.

Hostel / Residential Facilities
For about 50 children coming from remote areas, where training facilities are not available, special systematic training is given, by admitting them in the hostel, with the help of qualified special educators and ayahs. Hectic efforts are made to develop self-help skills (in eating, drinking and toiling activities). Free boarding, lodging and uniform are given to these children and qualified Psychiatrist & Pediatrician undertake regular medical checkups. Efforts are on to improve the hostel fecility to more children

Physiotherapy wing
In order to deal with the physical demands of our school children, the institute possesses a physiotherapy unit with all sophistication. Having a qualified Physiotherapist and few trained staff in it, we strive to enhance the capacity of our children towards functional independence. Adding to this child with cerebral palsy, multiple handicapped and other physical ailments who are coming from in and around the Guntur District are also being trained here.

The treatment given is mainly based on Neuro Developmental therapy, which is currently followed in most of the cerebral palsy children in Europe. Special facilities are also available in order to improve the sensory integration for young children.

Speech therapy wing
With the help of post-graduate speech therapist, Dakshinya is offering excellent speech therapy intervention facilities to its children.

Yoga therapy & Dance therapy
Dakshinya offering Yoga and Dance therapy is a systematic manner, as part of an intervention programme where they are trained according to their Ability and Age. Periodic evaluation is done to check the effect of therapy programme on the corresponding children.

Psychiatrist services
The highly qualified and experienced psychiatrist is giving excellent services to the Dakshinya children and counseling parents having children with Mentally Retardation, Autism, Cerebral Palsy and Multiple disabilities.

Pre - Vocational training
Pre – vocational Training is provided to the Mentally Retarded children within the age group of 14-18 years. These children undergo a Transition Programme, where the skills learnt already in the school are transferred to vocational activity.

Play Ground
Dakshinya has a well polished 200 Mts. athletic track with spacious playground, where Special Olympics Games for the Mentally Retarded children were organized during 2001.

Park &other equipment
The ITC-ILTD Division has donated most ideal and useful park & play-equipment for the purpose of recreation to the Mentally Retarded Children. They have also donated two water bore wells with many plants as part of “Clean & Green” programme of the Govt. AP
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The recent trend in the field of Mental Retardation is integration of the Mentally Retarded population into the mainstream of the society. Sincere efforts put in by the professionals and management of Dakshinya lead to the conclusion that mentally retarded persons can be economically independent either partially or fully if trained properly.

Thus the mentally retarded individuals can lead a successful life by becoming independent in personal, social and occupational spheres if proper training is imparted from the beginning. For the achievement of the goal, a carefully planned training programs is carried out at different levels such as pre-primary, primary, secondary, pre-vocational and vocational - with appropriate emphasis on the curricular goals at different levels. By this way of training students at each level lead a step towards achieving the final goal, i.e., preparation for adulthood.

           Above all to meet the increasing demands of the Adult mentally retarded individuals, 'Dakshinya Bhava Samithi " started Vocational Training Center for the Mentally Handicapped Children in 1998 -1999 with 5 trainees, The main objectives of this centre are

• To develop work habits and right attitudes towards work.
• To inculcate punctuality and regularity
• To create opportunities for the development of personal skills, social skills and functional academics.
• To provide opportunities for generalizing the learnt skills to daily life and work situation.
• To improve skills for receiving and carrying out instructions
• To improve communication skills
• To improve skills to work an in group setting with necessary adjustments.
• To inculcate task completion behavior.
• To develop life survival and safety skills

Gradually the strength increased to 23 trainees in the following years and developed into "DAKSHINYA VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED ", where Mechanized leaf plates, Candles, Chalk piece, Phenyl, Detergent powder and Vessel cleaning powder are manufactured. The vocational training center has a screen -printing unit, where printing of greeting cards, visiting cards etc., are done.
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We are passing through an era where has rapid changes in the concept and understanding of the child and child development is taking place. A child learns through experience. These early experiences are nothing but interactions of the child with the environment. These form the initial patterns of learning and behaviour which form the foundation to further learning. Combinations and permutations of this basic knowledge leads to complex learning, increased intelligence and adaptive behavior. On the contrary the child with handicap is unable to interact with the environment. This blocks the process of interaction of the children.

           These children are at higher risk for secondary deprivation. All these may culminate in social and emotional handicaps adding further to the existing problems. It is a well known fact that these effects can be minimized or prevented if problems are identified early and the early intervention programs are initiated.

           Above all, to meet the demands of these At-Risk Children, "Dakshinya Bhava Samithi" started Early Intervention Centre for at risk Children in the year 1998 -1999 with 7 Children

           The Early Intervention programs at Dakshinya provide individualized care and training, that help the child to achieve full potential. These programs are of following nature:-

1. Preventive
2. Curative
3. Remedial

Aims and objectives of Dakshinya Early Intervention center

• Acceleration of rate of development in the child.
• Acquisition of new behavior / skills by the child
• Increased independent functioning of the child
• Early detection and prevention of secondary handicaps.
• Minimize effects of handicapping conditions.
• Render assistance to parents and family members in coping skills and understanding their child better.

Dakshinya Early Intervention Center is meant for

• Infants and Children at increased environmental risk( e.g.: low socioeconomic status, single parent, broken homes).
• Infants and Children at increased biological risk (e.g.: Prematurely, low birth weight, asphyxia etc,)
• Infants and children with established developmental delays, deviation and disabilities.

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A Project of National Trust

Samarth
It is a Centre Based Scheme (CBS) which was introduced in 2006 by Dakshinya with the support of the National Trust, New Delhi (Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment). It includes residential services - both short term (respite care) and long term (prolonged care). Activities in Samarth Centre consist of early intervention, special education, pre-vocational and vocation training, recreation sports etc. These facilities in the home include both- men and women- on 50-50% basis for persons with Mental Retardation, Autism, Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Disabilities which were covered under the National Trust.

Objectives of the Project

1. To provide support and protection to persons whose family support is gradually diminishing.
2. To provide services to persons with disability whose family members are willing to pay for good quality services.
3. To create opportunities for family members to get respite time in order to fulfill other responsibilities.
4. To support Registered Organizations and Local Level Committees in the development of a range of service delivery systems which respond more closely to the needs of disabled persons in their own communities       including the needs of those without family support.

To provide rehabilitation & relief to persons with disability whose families are unable or unwilling to support them any longer.
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Dakshinya: is working for Children with Mentally Challenged through Community Based Rehabilitation since 2005. At present Dakshinya is catering to the needs of the persons with Mental Retardation for the following villages: Peda Palakaluru, Thokavari palem, Dosa palem and Mallavaram of Guntur district.

Objectives of this Project:

1. To identify, assess, diagnose and enroll the Mentally Retarded Children for specialized training.
2. To develop physical, social & intellectual abilities.
3. To enable them to work and earn a living.
4. To instill sense of self-reliance and self-esteem.
5. To create awareness among the parents / siblings / grand parents / guardians

about the follow up intervention programs available for their children / wards. To create awareness in public about the causes, prevention and rehabilitation of MR children.
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A Project of Heart and Hand for Handicapped (HHH)

The Heart & Hand for the Handicapped is a non-profit fund-raising organization which supports institutions that are involved with differently abled children in India and the United States. The mission of the HHH is to raise funds in the United States and disburse them to institutions both in India and USA that are involved directly with helping differently abled children.

Having experience in Sheltered Workshop, with the support of HHH, USA, since 2006, Dakshinya is conducting trainings for individuals with mental retardation in the revenue generation trades. Various trades under this Sheltered Workshop are:

1. Chalk Piece making
2. Phenyl
3. Detergent / Washing Powder
4. Candle making
5. Note Books
6. Envelop / Files

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A Project of Save the Children, Bal Raksha Bharat

Apart from providing services to Children with Mental Retardation, Dakshinya is extending its services to normal children also with the motto of ‘education for all’ (inclusive education).
In order to provide Quality and Inclusive Education to the children with the support of Save the Children, Bal Raksha Bharat, since 2007 Dakshinya is working in 30 Elementary schools of 20 villages of Guntur Rural, Tadikonda and Mangalagiri Mandals.

Save the Children

"Save the Children" is the leading independent child rights organization that fights for children's rights and delivers immediate and lasting improvement to children's lives worldwide.

Save the Children, Bal Raksha, Bharat

"Save the Children" has existed in India since the pre-Independence days. Save the Children, Bal Raksha, Bharat is the 28th independent member of the International Save the Children Alliance.

Mission

"Save the Children" fights for children's rights. Save the Children deliver immediate and lasting improvements to children's lives.

Issues it works on:

1. Education    
2. Child Protection 
3. HIV & AIDS  
4. Health   
5. Hunger and Malnutrition   
6. Emergency Response & Rehabilitation  

Dakshinya: Since 2007, Dakshinya has been working to bring change in the lives of the children to get quality education and having minimum standards in the elementary schools where they are studying. In this task, it is working with parents, community members, PRIs (Panchayat Raj Institutions), SHGs (Self Help Groups), youth, Teachers, Mandal & District Educational officials.

As the part of the activities, Dakshinya is working to strengthen children by forming Children Clubs to fight for their rights and to identify and solve their issues. In this regard, in order to protect the rights of the children, Dakshinya is strengthening elders by forming Child Protection Committees in the targeted areas.  Apart from these activities, it has been conducting rallies, awareness programs in the communities and conducting consultations in Mandal and District levels for ICDS workers, Teachers and other Stakeholders to attain inclusive education for children.

After a period of one year, the beneficiaries, Children are able to express their problems to teachers and other Govt. officials through our efforts with the support of other stakeholders. Parents are showing interest to send their children back to school again. Child Protection Committees are day by day strengthening with relevant knowledge of child issues and working for the protection of the children in their communities.
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8.1 Dakshinya Training Of Care Givers

Introduction

If was often felt that persons with Autism, Cerebral palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities, require constant and life long care of their persons. Care giving families have reported that with the increasing age of the child with disability as well as with the increasing age of the primary care givers, particularly the mother, providing care becomes more stressful, more demanding, labour intensive, costly and tiring. Although there are no reliable statistics to determine the population of persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities, it is generally known that those families that have amongst themselves any person having any of the above disabilities go through tremendous physical and financial strains throughout the life of the affected persons. Very often the families do not wish to admit them in the institution their disabled members not merely because cost but also because there is an emotional bonding which dictates the decision to retain the disabled family member with them. The object of the National Trust for the welfare of persons with autism, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and multiple disabilities Act, 1999 is to empower families to retain their disabled members within the family and the community.

However, families are often reluctant and/or do not have the financial means for sending a person to an institution of any type. Hence there is a need to bring relief to such families by providing a pool of trained caregivers whose services can be hired.

Objective of the Scheme

1. Build up a pool of trained caregivers who can be hired on temporary/permanent basis by such of the families that may need it.
2. To build up a pool of trained professional care givers thereby providing employment opportunity to deserving people.

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8.2 Awareness cum Training packages in Disability

Rehabilitation Council of India & Indira Gandhi National Open University selected our institute as an Implementing Organization towards creation of awareness among the parents having children with mental retardation.  In this regard, the first batch was commenced in the year 2006.

The main objectives of the program is to equip information regarding the nature, early identification and prevention of disabilities; assessment; teaching principles  and methodologies; strategies  and methods of stimulating social, language, mental, physical and motor development; teaching functional academic skills and activities of daily living; the educational and economic options available; and helping the person to cope with his emerging sexuality, so that persons with disabilities can be an integral part of community life.

This orientation and sensitization program remains restricted to parents, family members, teachers and community workers, but would get communicated to all, paving the path for amore inclusive society.
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8.3 CONTINUING REHABILITATION EDUCATION PROGRAMMES (CRE)

Rehabilitation Council of India, for development and standardization of training courses in the field of Special Education & Rehabilitation and also to update the knowledge & skills of professionals working in the field of mental retardation has accorded permission to conduct CRE program. Dakshinya successfully conducted two CRE programs.

The details are as follows

Objectives
The following are the objectives of CRE:

1. To upgrade the knowledge & skills of in service & practicing Rehabilitation Professionals & Personnel.
2. To update Professional knowledge of Masters Trainers working in the field of Rehabilitation & Special Education.

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