Spastic Society

This NGO was started in Karnakata by a mother of a spastic child in the year 1982. With sincere dedication to the welfare of children with Neuro-Muscular and Developmental Disabilities, the Society provides a Comprehensive Package of Diagnostic and Intervention Services to persons with Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Mental Retardation, Multiple Disabilities and Learning Disabilities. Spastics Society of Karnataka (SSK) started off as a branch of the Spastics Society of India and runs on a land donated by the Government of Karnataka.
The growth it has shown in a span of 24 years is worth the appreciation. it started with just 3 children and 5 staffs and now it serves a total of 1300 spastic children and touched the lives of 20000 children and families. With its mission on Mission that says: Conscious, Conscientious and Constant endeavor in
• Maximizing the potential of children with special needs
• Inclusiveness in all aspects of daily life
• Establishing their rights to be part of the community.
It has truly served and kept up to the expectations of the founders and the volunteers with enormous care taken for the under privileged children who require more of attention and have a right to live as any other child. By 2006 this society came up with an innovative program known as “Early Intervention Program” which included two and half years of intensive training for these disabled kids that included pre- reading, language communication, socialization, pre- arithmetic and other skills that need attention to ensure these children to be fit to face the world in their measures. The organization also came up with a new program called “Saath Saath “ focusing on the Parents- children relationship. Although this didn’t work successfully but the efforts seem to continue.
A very solid aspect of this association is the responsibility they undertake to provide occupation to those who are handicapped, provide all the care, both physical and mental to those in need and they also paid heed to develop a social circle for both the students and parents. Respecting the disabled is also a major concern for them.
With a look at their Administrative structure I realized the concept of hierarchy hampering the progress of the Society and a few Elected Governing Bodies are concerned with a bit of personal interests and the Medical Officer needs to appoint some more nurses as each child requires enough attention and these people should be trained specially. The emotional needs of each child needs to be paid importance too which many NGOs working for children forget as this requires a lot of patience and selfless love. I also strongly feel that such kids become victims of molestation and harassment, so there should be enough of security to protect these innocent children. I look forward to see more of improvement in this NGO that has very high ambitions and with the right people undertaking the responsibilities, it definitely can change the lives of many children whom we forget and ignore.