The Sugwekars, a pair based totally in Thane, imagine that their son Akshay used to be born to lead them to realise their goal in lifestyles — to serve different kids with disabilities like him. That’s precisely what Sujata and Ravindra Sugwekar were doing for the previous 20 years via their refuge house, ‘Sangopita’.
The tale of those two atypical folks starts in some way in 1997 in a Badlapur health center. Pregnant with twins, Sujata went into labour in simply 6.5 months. They sadly misplaced one child at beginning, whilst the opposite, Akshay, used to be combating for his lifestyles. Since they wanted a health center with an NICU (Neonatal In depth Care Unit) and just right paediatric services and products, they moved him to KEM health center in Parel, the place he used to be stored in an incubator for a month.
Akshay used to be recognized with cerebral palsy, a neurological situation that is affecting motion and muscle coordination. He needed to be taken for physiotherapy day-to-day since then. As Ravindra used to be operating in a financial institution, Sujata took in this duty. She would lift her month-old child — who rarely weighed a kilo — from Badlapur to Parel on a regular basis for remedy, in hopes of offering him with an opportunity to have a greater lifestyles.
This adventure of the mummy and son persisted for the primary seven years of his lifestyles. However those day-to-day teach rides whilst lifting a tender boy had been taxing for Sujata, who’s 61 as of late. She knew that there used to be a greater manner; there needed to be a greater option to assist her son.
‘We discovered our calling’
Chatting with The Higher India, Sujata recollects the preliminary few years. Whilst she needed to take Akshay to KEM for the primary 2.5 years for remedy, she later enrolled him at Spastics Society, Bandra, as native colleges refused to confess him.
“So I would depart house at 7 am, succeed in Spastics at 9 am for his education. After that, I’d take him to Haji Ali to a spot that presented physiotherapy and speech and occupational remedy below one roof which were given over by means of 4:30 pm. I’d succeed in house by means of 6 pm. This used to be my regimen six days per week,” explains Sujata.
Since Akshay can’t stroll, she needed to carry him. Travelling in Mumbai’s speedy and unforgiving native trains at height occasions with a kid isn’t any imply feat. Over time, this ended in again ache and different well being issues for Sujata. She noticed on the remedy centre that she used to be no longer on my own.
“There have been many fogeys from underprivileged backgrounds who introduced their kids to remedy. Many needed to discontinue as they couldn’t come up with the money for it and the shuttle used to be an excessive amount of,” she provides.
Sujata realised that if that they had a centre which equipped remedy, training and healthcare below one roof, it will clear up all their issues. However there used to be not anything like that during Badlapur, in reality, not anything by means of a protracted shot inside of Thane district itself, she realised.
The couple then determined to take issues into their very own fingers. In spite of everything, who would perceive what a kid like theirs would want higher than them? They did a survey in Badlapur within the early 2000s and located that there have been 189 kids with disabilities. They amassed their oldsters and requested their issues too.
“Most oldsters discovered it tough to maintain their kids at house, as maximum houses are small. Our kids want an open area to stroll round and discover. So I took my financial savings, were given some price range from different workers at my financial institution and acquired a one-acre land close to Badlapur,” says Ravindra.
They constructed Sangopita, a refuge house for disabled kids in this land in 2003. Derived from the Sanskrit phrase Sangopan which means that upbringing, the house provides a holistic upbringing for his or her beneficiaries.
The house used to be began with two kids in 2003. As oldsters noticed the amenities and care presented on the facility, it grew and has 62 kids and 34 workforce participants as of late. They’ve particular educators, occupational therapists, speech therapists, along side vocational coaching, physiotherapy, round-the-clock care, a mini-hospital, a health care provider, a psychiatrist, a nurse and an ambulance.
With get right of entry to to huge open spaces, their citizens take part in video games, yoga and different actions with gusto.
“See, many fogeys don’t have the sources to maintain such kids, continuously forsaking them. We’re offering an street for such kids to in reality flourish and do their perfect. Oldsters, too, may also be happy that their kids are doing neatly,” provides Ravindra.
The 62-year-old says that the preliminary few years of elevating Akshay used to be difficult. He felt depressed, he admits, fascinated about what would occur to him someday.
“Who will care for him after us? This query plagues the thoughts of each and every guardian of a disabled kid. We’ve got constructed this as a method to that. I felt sure after development Sangopita. Akshay may be doing a lot better and has evolved neatly in those environment,” he provides.
Giving them wings to fly
Whilst the kids appear to have discovered their satisfied position, their oldsters describe Sangopita as a nurturing and thriving playground as neatly.
Raj (16) has autism and is hyperactive, in step with his mom, Swapna. A unmarried mom who remains along with her elderly oldsters, she discovered it tough to seem after him. Her oldsters weren’t supplied to care for him when she went to paintings both. Raj used to be vulnerable to getting suits as neatly. She came upon about Sangopita 6 years again and determined to enrol her son there.
She says that he’s doing a lot better and is happier there ever since.
However what about her, a mom who’s staying clear of her kid? “That’s my destiny,” she says unfortunately.
After the demise in their oldsters, Sangeeta discovered it tricky to regulate her brother Rajiv Rao, 34, who has a psychological incapacity, when she went to paintings. He used to be dropped at Sangopita in 2009 and his development has been excellent since then, stocks Sangeeta.
“He’s very artful. When my father used to be alive, we needed to stay an eye fixed on Rajiv always as he would continuously drink alcohol or to find some tobacco. With Sangopita, he has a couple of avenues to spend his power the proper manner. He makes agarbattis (incense sticks), paints and diyas (earthen lamps) there and is doing rather well,” she says.
It’s this development in kids that the Sugwekars attempt so laborious for. Ravindra hand over his process a couple of years in the past and the couple is engaged full-time on this endeavour.
“We wish them to have an relaxing lifestyles and fulfil their wishes. We stay them energetic with sports activities, tune, arts and craft. Lots of the admittees have stopped their napping tablets,” provides Ravindra.
They inspire the folks of their shelters to make merchandise like diyas, playing cards on events like Diwali and promote it to buyers to supply some source of revenue for the kids.
With the refuge providing house to other people from 15-50 years of age who’re both autistic, have studying disabilities or cerebral palsy, it prices the couple Rs 19,000 according to particular person per thirty days to run the ability and pay their workforce.
Then again, they rate simplest what the fogeys or guardians of those sufferers can come up with the money for. Many pay simplest Rs 2,000 per thirty days, say the couple. They run 30 p.c on charges and 70 p.c on donations and feature kids from Mumbai, Pune, Jalgaon, or even Jharkhand. The refuge house additionally homes a number of orphans.
However the couple isn’t slowed down by means of funds. They wish to give other people an opportunity to are living their perfect lifestyles. “We wish those kids to turn into unbiased by the point they’re 18. On the similar time, we’re letting their oldsters are living their lives. We are hoping that we will assist extra other people,” says Sujata.
“We all know the apprehensions, hopes, desires and aspirations of oldsters of a kid with disabilities. We will be able to assist your kids fly,” provides Ravindra.
They’re in pressing want of price range. If you want to donate, listed below are their account main points –
Account Switch:
Financial institution: Punjab Nationwide Financial institution
Account no: 1955000100007181
IFSC: PUNB0609800 (Ambernath Department)
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Quantity: +91-9867845469
UPI ID: 9867845469@okbizaxis
Edited by means of Padmashree Pande