Note: The first six trustees constitute the Managing Committee.
Issues relating to the Deaf are the focus of this organization as Hearing Disability -due to its invisibility - commands least attention although it deserves the most. Among different categories of disabled persons, the Deaf are the worst sufferers. Deprived of God's most precious gifts to human beings, the senses of Hearing and Speech, they are pushed outside the human communication and social life. The bias against them is strongly embedded in the social psyche. Hence they tend to remain ensconced in their own cocoon.
The Trust is functioning silently and unobtrusively, with total devotion and dedications, and rendering yeoman's services for the rehabilitation of handicapped persons. Initially the organization made every possible effort to sensitize the public at large and raised awareness about the various issues relating to disabled persons. The NGO provided financial support to many Deaf/Dumb students. It also organized and participated in several Diagnostic-cum-Fitment camps in which Free Hearing Aids and other assistive devices costing more than Rs. Five Lacs were given to about 200 persons.
Buoyed by the encouraging response from all quarters, Friends of Handicapped-India started to spread its wings and explore new avenues in the field of Hearing Handicapped Welfare. Encouragement from All India Federation of the Deaf New Delhi and National institute for the Hearing Handicapped (NCR) New Delhi led us to shed our apprehensions and inhibitions on account of our tiny resources and embark on the new venture of starting Vaani School and Research Centre for providing quality Education, Speech Therapy and Auditory Training to Deaf children.
Aims of the Trust
The aims of this non-profit organization are
- To provide facilities for the education of handicapped HI children.
- To provide rehabilitation services for various types of handicaps.
- To establish Vocational Training Centre for the rehabilitation of handicapped persons.
- To create awareness in the society at large about the problems of and difficulties encountered by the handicapped persons.
- To provide facilities for the early detection and evaluation of hearing impairment handicaps.
- To undertake research and develop an easily understandable and common medium of communication for the Deaf community belonging to all the diverse states of India having different languages and cultures.
It's activities have been acclaimed by the general public, disabled persons, social activists and the government alike.
FOHI was awarded the best NGO Award for 2009 by the U.P. Government at a gala function held at Lucknow on 03.12.2009. Its Chairman, Mr. N.P. Jain, was awarded by the U.P. Government "State Level Best Individual" award on 03.12.2009 for rendering best services for the cause of the Disabled.
