Handicapped Association in Srinagar transforming lives of underprivileged people with disability
Faizan Beigh
Srinagar, June 3: Jammu and Kashmir Handicapped Association (JKHA) is transforming the lives of underprivileged people with disability since 1998.
Based in Srinagat, its extensive programs run in rural and urban areas to enable, equip and empower children and adults with a range of disabilities.
The Association was founded by Ghulam Muhammad Lone in 1998 and later got registered in 2000. The aim of the association is to render welfare activities for handicapped persons irrespective of their caste, creed and colour.
From 1998 to 2008 Ghulam Mohammed Lone worked as the state president of the association.
Later in 2009 its first election was held to elect the state president and Sajad Ahmed Masoodi became the new state president of JKHA.
JKHA provides stretchers, wheelchairs, and books for free to the disabled persons.
In 2009 JKHA started free meal services for the persons with disabilities who come all along from different parts of Kashmir to Srinagar for exams or other official works. JKHA not only provides free food but also gives shelter to the stranded disabled persons.
The President is elected after every two years. The current president of the association is Abdul Rashid Bhat.
Since 2011 Bhat has won successive elections and continues to remain the president.
“He has not only invested his time and energy but has also donated around 13 lakh rupees for the welfare of JKHA. The monthly expenses of the organisation costs around 1,75,000 rupees,” said one of the members of association.
“We don’t have any source of income, our monthly expenditure is 1,75,000 apart from that there are many needs to take care of so in 2011 we printed receipt books and that helped us in generating money. Some people are kind enough to donate and help us” Rashid said.
JKHA not only helps disabled persons but they also help orphans and those who come under the below poverty line.
In 2017, JKHA bought two cutting, tailoring and knitting centres in north Kashmir’s Sopore.
“The main purpose of these centres is to train orphans , BPL category and disabled persons. JKCA trains students at both centres for one year and rewards them with certificates. After completing their training the association further helps these students by providing them setup units for free,” the association said.
After the success of these institutes, JKHA started an institute specially for visually impaired and disabled persons at Lone Mohalla Nowpora in Srinagar. The institute came into existence in 2019 and was named as an Institute For Persons With Disabilities.
“There are 15 students enrolled in this institute where teachers teach them braille, braille Quran and how to use computers. JKHA provides free accommodations to these students.”
“I am very thankful to this association. They provide us a home-like atmosphere and an atmosphere where we can learn. They always try their best to fulfil our basic needs. They are not only teaching us here but they are also providing us food and a shelter to live for free.” said Murtuza Wani, a student at IFPWD.
(Faizan Beigh is an internee at ANN News)
