Author: shuktara

shuktara home for disabled girls - 2016 June - Tookie, Guria and Prity in the car going to Mobility India

Guria and Prity go to Mobility India

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On 9th June Pappu, the Chairman of shuktara, took Guria along with Prity to Mobility India to pick up Guria's standing frame. With the help of the standing frame Guria can now stand without anyone holding her, and also she will be able to feed herself and do her studies. She looks really happy and comfortable with her standing frame.

Pappu decided to do the same thing for Prity as we have done for Guria and so she was also measured for knee gaiters and removable splints which are fitted to her feet. Prity will continue with her physiotherapy and we will also get a standing frame for her so that she will have more mobility.

Aadhaar Cards for everyone at shuktara

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For many years we have tried to get identification for the young people of shuktara. It is very difficult to get a birth certificate (the paper needed for all other forms of ID) because the signature of the doctor who attended the birth must be on the certificate. As almost all of the young people at shuktara were abandoned, finding the doctor present at their birth is an impossible task.

Now India has a new type of individual identification called Aadhaar.

Aadhaar is a 12-digit individual identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India on behalf of the Government of India. This number will serve as a proof of identity and address, anywhere in India.

It can be used to open a bank account or to get a passport in 10 days amongst many other things.
Pappu arranged for a guy to come to the shuktara homes to take the necessary information. For each person in shuktara he took digital fingerprints of all 10 fingers and eye retina pattern as well as a photo of the individual. All of this information is put into a database and the Government of India issues the card within a fixed time limit.

Here's more information on Aadhaar:
The government of India has taken up the initiative to establish a single identification method of its citizens. Like in developed countries where the social security number gives every detail of that citizen to the government India is also attempting to establish an identification method by which every citizen is registered under the country and the government has the exact count of the number of people in the country. This is why aadhaar card has been started and it is made free to every citizen so that each one can obtain it easily.

The government has realized the importance of a unique identification number much like social security numbers in the United States of America. This number is a onetime number provided to the citizens irrespective of their social background, their caste, creed or religion.

shuktara 2016-05-23 - Guria gets gaiters

Guria gets knee gaiters!

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Pappu, chairman of shuktara, took Guria to Mobility India along with David and Milli mashi, one of the Lula Bari house mothers.

This is Jacinta's last week as a volunteer physiotherapist in Kolkata and she made an appointment for 23rd May so Guria could be fitted with knee gaiters.

Guria was very excited by the whole process, which meant measuring her legs. Luckily, as they had one pair in her size, we were able to leave quite quickly. The next step is to get a standing frame which is being tailor-made for Guria and will be ready to pick up on 6th June.

A standing frame provides an alternative position instead of Guria just sitting or lying, it will support her in the standing position.

Read more about Guria.

shuktara May 2016 - Sanjay and family-by David

Sanjay brings his family to shuktara

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As the young people of shuktara grow up our job is to support them to live independent lives integrated into the community.

Sanjay came to shuktara in 2000. From the very beginning his dream was to have a family of his own.

Through his work at Shuktara Cakes and the experience of living at our boys home, we think he learned the true meaning of family as well as the skills he needed to start his own family.

He now has a wife and daughter of his own and these photos were taken when they came to visit his shuktara family!

Read more about Sanjay.

shuktara May 2016 - Raja painting

Raja Mohan Das, deaf artist

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Raja is deaf and the resident artist at shuktara. In 2009 he was the youngest artist to be showcased at CIMA gallery in Kolkata.

Like all artists Raja has times of incredible energy and creativity as well as periods of inactivity. Right now he is in a very productive phase creating dozens of works in his trademark vibrant colours.

Read more about Raja here.

shuktara May 2016 - Guria and Muniya in AC study room

Lula Bari gets an AC for their study room

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Thanks to a generous donation we have been able to put an Air Conditioner in the study room at Lula Bari.
It took a couple of days to get it installed, all of which was exciting for the girls.

When it was switched on last night for the first time and the girls sat in it for a while, I told Guria and Muniya that it had been given as a gift from someone. Guria raised her hand in sign of thank you as Muniya said "Thank you".
I think Guria's ability to raise her arm like this is really encouraging. It must be due to physiotherapy, exercise and a real desire to communicate and let us know more of what she is wants us to know.

shuktara 2016-04-26 Guria sitting up at physio

Guria gets her splints

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We took Guria to Mobility India for the final fitting for her splints. This was arranged by Jacinta who is a UK based physiotherapist volunteering here in Kolkata, who originally met Guria in the hospital where the police placed her after finding her abandoned in the city.

The splints will correct her foot position and prevent any further deformity. They also aim to make her standing and walking a bit easier. The next step may be knee gaiters to keep her legs straight so she can stand with support. This will also be a great way to stretch her leg muscles for a more prolonged period of time.

Jacinta will come back in a couple of weeks to reassess and decide whether the knee gaiters will be the next best step forward.

Guria is non verbal and her cerebral palsy limits her ability to make many signs or gestures with her hands. We are all learning what certain eye or head movements mean and what she wants. She is always smiling so from that we assume she is happy.

To read more about Guria please click here.