Rotary Club of Madras Rehabilitation Centre
For Physically Challenged (3H Project 98-7)History
Rotary Club of Madras was deeply concerned with the lack of opportunities and poor economic conditions of the physically challenged persons, who are about 3% of the country's population. In Tamil Nadu alone there are 4 lakhs handicapped persons of all categories, of whom over 2 lakhs are Orthopaedically handicapped.
With a view to alleviating the suffering of the physically handicapped, the Rotary Club of Madras, of Rotary International Dist 3230, partnered with the Rotary Club of Whitby, Canada, R.I.Dist 7070, Canada, started this Rotary Rehabilitation Centre in May 1998, With "total Rehabilitation" of the physically challenged as its mission and funds provided by the Rotary International,U.S.A., upto US $0.5 million for a 5-year period, presently extended upto 31st December 2004.
Rotary Rehabilitation Centre of Rotary Club of Madras has been relentlessly working for the cause of the handicapped in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry from May 1998. The service rendered by the Centre (all free) are in the areas of both
- Physical rehabilitation through Corrective surgeries and mobility aids, and
- Economic upliftment through Vocational training as suitable to the handicapped, and assisting them in getting job placements.
The beneficiaries identified and rehabilitated by the centre are from various parts of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. The Centre has only one criterion in identifying the beneficiaries i.e. persons with physical disabilities-caste, creed, income etc are outside its realm.
Activities & Facilities 
The Centre has been conducting Awareness camps from time to time in and around Chennai, particularly in slums to educate the slum dwellers of the importance of hygiene and the facilities available to the physically challenged persons, at or through the center. Conducting Medical Screening Camps in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry to identify the Physically Challenged persons (up to 30 years of age) and offering, at the Centre's Cost, the following benefits to the potential beneficiaries.
- Corrective Surgery at specified Hospitals in Chennai, Vellore Dist etc.,to help the Physically challenged to regain maximum physical orientation. Calipers/Crutches, as necessary, are also provided free to the surgical cases.Since these cases are invariably from poor economic background, cost of food to the patient and one attendant per patient has also been borne by the centre.
- Fitment of Calipers/Crutches, individually made to size, to those who do not require surgical intervention.
- Periodical Follow-up of the surgical and caliper case to find out their well-being, and replacing Calipers/Crutches as necessary.
- Provision of Tricycles/Wheel chairs (fabricated to suit individual requirements) to those who, unfortunately, cannot benefit by surgical intervention or Calipers/Crutches.
Vocational Training
The Centre offers the Physically disabled persons free Vocational Training at Chennai in:
- Secretarial Practice ( Typewriting-Short-hand & basic Computer application ).
- Advanced Computer applications to the Physically Disabled.
- Advanced computer applications to the Hearing Impaired.
- Tailoring ( Each course is of 6 month's duration )
- Computer training at Katpadi and Pondicherry in association with an NGO.
- Computer training in association with CSC Computer Education(P) Ltd., Chennai a renowned organisation in the field - at 56 of their centers/ their Franchisees centres, in Chennai, Kanchipuram and Vellore, recognising that not every one will be able to travel to Rotary Rehabilitation center for taking training courses.So far 714 candidates have benefited through the centre and 109 are undergoing training in various courses as on date.
Families Benefited
Each person physically Rehabilitated or trained in a Vocational Training course is a direct benefit to the earning capacity of the relevant family and the well being of its members.One can imagine the phenomenal direct benefit to over 3500 families so far benefited and the potential benefit from those who are still undergoing training. In addition, the burden on the State in respect of the rehabilitated persons is also reduced.
Amount spent by the Centre on Rehabilitation activities
The Centre as spent over Rs.2 crores so far on the aforesaid Rehabilitation activities. Since the funding period is shortly coming to an end, the Centre has started concentrating on Vocational Training Programs and attends to the earlier physically rehabilitated cases, for need based assistance for Physical rehabilitation as assessed on follow up visits. It only means that certain events specified inthe funding program have arisen.The Centre sincerely hopes to continue its Vocational Training services to the disabled.
Recognition
The Rotary Rehabilitation Centre of Rotary Club of Madras has been totally committed to the cause of the disabled and has been silently working for that cause for over 6 years. It has earned appreciation from the Rotary world, the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Press.
Contact Information
If you need any further information please contact:
The Project Manager
Rotary Club of Madras Rehabilitation Centre
GIRM ANNEXE
Jawaharlal Nehru Road
K.K.Nagar,Chennai-600078.
Phone no:-23713410 / 24740204
e-mail: rcmrc@vsnl.net 