Samvedna
Helping People With Disability Live Life to the Fullest.
What we do.
Samvedna seeks to empower people with disability and their families through the provision of education therapy and livelihood. Samvedna works with local staff and community workers from the surrounding villages to identify children with disability and advocate for their rights. We desire to see people with disability, particularly children living in Uttarakhand, lead healthy, inclusive and fulfilling lives.
About us
Samvedna was founded in late 2010 in response to the social practical and health challenges that people with disability faced in Uttarakhand. They had nowhere to go for help.
Samvedna responded by bringing in therapists doctors and volunteers, who gave freely of their time and were able to bring about significant changes with minimal resources. Over the years, others have seen this good work and
Samvedna would have been able to add education, livelihood, social inclusion and empowerment activities to Samvedna's work.
Our Goals
Guiding the work of Samvedna, is the World Health Organization's community-based rehabilitation CBR matrix, with the domains of health, education, livelihood, social development and empowerment.
This framework is used Internationally in disability-inclusive programming to improve access to rehabilitation services for people with disabilities.
Our Impact
Building Inclusive Future
At Samvedna, we believe every child deserves a strong start regardless of ability. We’ve established five early learning centres across 70 villages, each serving children aged 3 to 13 years with disabilities. These centres are supported by a multidisciplinary team, including special education teachers, occupational and physiotherapists, and an orthopedic surgeon, ensuring holistic care and early identification and intervention.
Currently, 20 dedicated volunteers including 5 with disabilities themselves are actively involved in our work, helping to foster an environment where inclusion is lived, not just taught.
Beyond education and therapy, Samvedna is also working to shift mindsets for the eradication of stiga. Our community education and empowerment program challenges the stigma surrounding disability by raising awareness about the barriers people with disabilities face every day. Through workshops, outreach, and direct engagement, we are building more empathetic and informed communities.
Together, we are creating spaces where all children and adults are valued, supported, and included paving the way for a more just and inclusive society.
Our Team
There are 8 full time staff ( 1 - Project Manager, 1- Physiotherapist, 1- Documentation officer, 3 Special educators, 1 CBR worker and 1 office attendant ) 15 volunteers (5 with a disability) and 81 children currently involved in Samvedna. There are now 5 early learning centres across 70 villages, with each centre covering 10-15 villages. Prior to the Samvedna program commencing the program organisers called a meeting with the local DPOs and other community members and showed them the proposed project plan, taking the ideas and feedback of the disability community on board when implementing the program. Each quarter the program managers meet with the disability advocacy and wider community groups to share the programs learnings and outcomes. Samvedna collaborates with DPOs, local government, the area chief medical officer and the disability commissioner in the area, submitting monthly reports to them.