| Small Journeys |
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| Amreen |
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‘Small Journeys’ shows how disabled and non-disabled children who are not in school or who have dropped out, have been encouraged to go to school through the Makkala Bhavishya or Children’s Promise project. This documentary is a testimony to the hard work of the children and parents who made Makkala Bhavishya possible; the communities of Sarabandapalya, Cauvery Nagar and Yarabnagar – slum areas in Banashankari, Bangalore City; the community based field workers and Mobility India staff.
The story is told through the eyes of 11 year old Amreen, who suffers the effects of childhood polio. She benefited from the efforts of many field workers, therapists and technicians who drew up a plan of action for physical rehabilitation and follow up and then helped her to enrol in school. Her parents were not left out; they are active members of the Sangha movement, an integral part of this project, helping parents of disabled children set up savings, credit and income generating programmes. A significant money earner for Sanghas is the income generated by auto rickshaws provided by the programme; these ply a commercial trade and take severely disabled children to special schools.
In the film, Amreen talks with friends who had no hope of ever going to school, but are now continuing their education. With her we visit the community teachers who run coaching classes to help drop-out children gain the confidence to return to school. She draws us into the homes of disabled children like Subramani - a boy who was unable to sit up, but whose quality of life has improved vastly through the support and therapy provided at his home by community based workers and rehabilitation therapists.
The project also created opportunities for parents of disabled children to set up Sanghas (self help groups) to earn money and to sustain their children’s education and future. Amreen shows us the example of her own parents who are very active in their Sangha and her understanding of what the Sanghas do. Amreen’s mother recounts the progress of her daughter who was being kept indoors because of her disability and their inability to afford a simple operation. We see how street theatre raises awareness about disability issues, the need for schooling and the importance of parental responsibilities.
Amreen’s view is a series of small journeys which show how this project has touched the lives of children with disabilities, not excluding those without disabilities who for various reasons were not going to school. For some families the enrolment of a child in school is a great achievement, as their children are the first generation to get an education.
Please contact us if you would like a copy of Small Journeys. Please enclose £10 to cover costs and postage. |
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