Summary

Back in 1987, there was hardly any organization working for persons with disabilities in rural areas; to address this dire need, a few persons decided to take up their cause. B. Venkatesh, a person with visual impairment travelled to several villages of Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, to meet persons with disabilities; he encouraged them and supported them to form Sanghas or Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs). These DPOs operate similar to Self Help Groups (SHGs) and advocate for their rights and inclusion in their villages. Chris Underhill, founder of ADD UK, supported Venkatesh to establish Action on Disability and Development (ADD) in India as an independent Society registered in 1989 and thus was born ADD India. As pioneers in the formation of DPOs, ADD India has since 1989, helped form thousands of DPOs reaching out to about 10000 persons with disabilities each year directly and through partnerships with other organisations. Currently, ADD India works in Tamilnadu

Causes Working On

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Awards & Certifications

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