Arukah Network for reaching out to disability
Morung Express News
Dimapur | June 29
Disability of the body occurs in many different forms – by birth, through physical injury, stress or an outcome of lifestyle. Generally disability gets typecast as some form of development disorder (genetics), which though is one of many.
Arukah Network – For Global Community Health is a collective of health and development workers engaged in community development by involving local people through its global network or its clusters (branches) spread around the world.
‘Disability inclusion’ is among Arukah’s primary outreach programmes through which it focuses on advocacy for the inclusion of people with disabilities through a livelihood program and by training people on disability rights.
Its North East (NE) Chapter in India has brought together faith based organisations and other like-minded organisations, who work in the areas of community health, development and disability with a mission to transform the lives of the marginalised.
The NE Cluster in collaboration with the Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research organised a seminar in Dimapur on June 29 at the Elim Hall, DABA with Jubin Varghese as the resource person. Varghese has been working with the Emmanuel Hospital Association in various disability programs for the last 18 years. She is also the coordinator for Engage Disability Network - an all-India network of churches, Christian disability and development organisations committed to making churches inclusive of persons with disabilities. Herbertpur Christian Hospital, Dehradun, where she also works, is a member of Arukah Network’s Uttarakhand Cluster.
“When we think of disability, we think of development disability by birth. But it is not limited to that. It can happen to all persons (irrespective of age or gender) through ageing or even through accidents,” said Varghese at the seminar, which had an attendance of inter-denominational church workers and disability rights activists.
Getting rid of the stereotyped view of disability and rather inculcating an accepting approach irrespective of a person’s perceived disability would go a long way in equipping and enabling people (with or without disability), she said.
While stating that the church can lead the way in this aspect, she reminded of The Great Commission in Luke 14:12-24.
K. Ela, Director of Prodigal’s Home emphasised ‘Disability’ as an issue that needs collective effort. In Nagaland, “Many things which should be happening are not happening,” she said.
Let alone an observable lack of support systems for persons with disabilities, she added that the environment and infrastructure itself are not disabled-friendly. “We cannot do this alone. We are here as partners,” she said, while expressing hope that change is happening.
