After three years of silence due to a head injury, Naina’s life transformed with a hearing aid provided by GASVS community support on World Disability Day, empowering her to pursue education and dreams.
Gramin Adiwasi Samaj Vikas Sansthan (GASVS) plays a pivotal role in transforming the lives of persons with disabilities in rural and underserved communities by providing comprehensive, community-based support and rehabilitation services. In the case of Naina, a 16-year-old girl from Ambikapara, Gongla, Sukma district, GASVS’s intervention exemplifies their commitment to inclusive development and empowerment through meticulous identification, outreach, and assistive technology facilitation.
Naina’s hearing impairment, which developed over three years following a severe head injury, progressively isolated her from education and family communication. Recognizing the complex needs of disabled individuals in remote areas, GASVS partnered with the District Disabled Rehabilitation Centre and Social Welfare Department Sukma to ensure that no child is left behind due to financial or infrastructural barriers. Local anganwadi workers and field coordinators conducted community outreach and assessed Naina’s condition, guiding her family through the often-daunting process of securing an official disability certificate—a key to accessing health, education, and social welfare schemes.
Further, GASVS ensured sound rehabilitation support on the critical occasion of World Disability Day, when Naina was equipped with a modern hearing aid. This device restored her ability to hear and engage with her surroundings, rekindling her confidence and motivation to pursue her education and dreams. The holistic approach adopted by GASVS encompasses medical intervention, psychological support, educational facilitation, and socio-economic empowerment. By addressing the multifaceted challenges of disability through grassroots collaboration and innovative programming, GASVS strengthens the safety net for persons like Naina.
Naina’s story not only depicts an individual success but also illustrates GASVS’s broader mission of social inclusion—the belief that empowerment through community belonging, access to resources, and sustainable support systems can unlock the latent potential of marginalized individuals. The organization’s work encompasses identification, certification, assistive technology provisioning, and continuous follow-up, ensuring long-term wellbeing and integration of disabled persons into mainstream society.
