Sahai

Social Aid for the Handicapped And Infirm (SAHAI) is a charitable Trust in Coimbatore, South India, promoted by a group of professionals committed to the cause of the Handicapped. It was formed to comprehensively rehabilitate the increasing number of physically handicapped among the poor in India who have become a liability to the family and the society.

There are over 40 million physically disabled persons in our country. Most of them are economically backward and have no hope for mobility, education, training or employment. Among them the neglected are the Spinal Injured. Although reconstructive surgery and physiotherapy are available, they are not affordable to the weaker sections. Moreover it does not address the problem of rehabilitation and financial independence. Against this background, a group of eminent and socially committed doctors and philanthropists under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Thomas Joseph (former professor of Neurosurgery, CMC Hospital, Vellore), a renowned Neurosurgeon, promoted the SAHAI Trust in Coimbatore, to reach out to the less fortunate among us. The Trust stands as the bridge for the disabled, spanning between uselessness to usefulness, hopelessness to hopefulness, unhappiness to happiness.

SAHAI mainly focuses on the Spinal Injured who are paralyzed. A majority of these victims are young adults, from the economically weaker section of society. Emphasis is given for the best and effective mobility by restorative surgery and physiotherapy. On gaining mobility of the limbs, the disabled are encouraged to attend a vocational training commensurate with their education and disability, aimed at getting a career opportunity. The Trust envisages providing the entire course of rehabilitation absolutely free of cost. Over 30 Surgeries have been conducted during the first year of the Trust's existence. At any point of time 10 inpatients are being put through a rehabilitation program at a leased out facility in J.M.Hospital, on Thadagam Road, Coimbatore. A job oriented Computer Training program for the disabled has also been started.

The Plans

The Trust has plans for implementing, over a period 3-5 years.
1) Rehabilitation Institute for Physical and Occupational Therapy.
2) Surgical Block for Preventive and Restorative Surgery.
3) Artificial Limb Center and motorized wheel chair unit.
4) Outdoor and indoor stadium for handicapped sports.
5) Educational complex for training Physical Medicine Personnel.
6) Vocational Training Institute for the Handicapped
7) Center for remodeling vehicles for the Handicapped.
8) Research Institute for Neural Transplantation and Robotics.

The IMMEDIATE focus is to comprehensively rehabilitate 200 spinal injured and paralyzed person before the end of 2002. The job oriented Computer Training program is to be expanded to accommodate at least 20 disabled persons at a time. An Artificial Limb manufacturing center developing advanced carbon fiber technology, is a priority, which is to be started in the millennium year. Sahai in it's efforts to successfully employ disabled, also intends to start, in the millennium year, an Industrial unit for assembling of consumer and industrial unit for assembling of consumer and industrial products, off loaded by major industries, on a contract basis. The disabled seek empathy not sympathy. The fulfillment of dream projects such as this, become a reality, when all of us start believing in it. The Sahai Trust calls upon every responsible citizen of our country to come forward and help the Trust to support the disabled and enable them to live with dignity.
 

Objectives

• To acquire 50 acres of land to establish an institute for Rehabilitation and Restorative surgery, training and research with all modern facilities to effectively rehabilitate the disabled.
• To identify the disabled among the poor in India and give them vocational training, ensure mobility and enrich their lives by making them independent, productive, and self-supporting.
• To train suitable young men and women from the weaker section of the society in the field of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
• To conduct research in the field of Neural Transplantation and regeneration.

Focus

• To create awareness among the public for the need to rehabilitate victims of accidents, and those with disability arising from various Neurological and Neurosurgical problems.
• To establish a center of excellence in the field of Rehabilitation and Restorative Surgery in terms of personnel, equipment and work culture for the physical, social and psychological uplift of the handicapped among the poor of our country.
• To enable all the disabled in the country to live with dignity and impress upon them that though we may not cure we care.

Donations

• Sahai is permitted to receive foreign contributions.
• Donations to our project in cash or kind is welcome.
• Cheque / Drafts should be made payable to ' Social Aid for the Handicapped And Infirm'
  ( Sahai Trust,    Coimbatore)
   

The Team

Sahai is a registered charitable Trust. The Team is lead by Dr. Thomas Joseph, Professor of Neurosurgery. He is guided by the Management Committee, which meets regularly to monitor projects and advice.