Darakshan Rehab Centre
Darakhshan Resource and Training Centre for Girls and Women with Disabilities was established in 1990 as a Rehabilitation Project of Pakistan Foundation Fighting Blindness. The main objective of the project is to enable this severely disadvantaged section of the community to become income generators and self-reliant members of the family.
SALIENT FEATURES
Darakhshan Centre is an integrated project combining basic education and skill training.
Location:
The Project is located in the peri-urban locality of Rawalpindi City.
No. 1 Park View, Morgah Union Council Rawalpindi
Phone: 92-51-5486871
Free pick and drop is being provided to trainable disabled girls residing in Sawaan Camp, Gulzar-e-Quaid, Jehlum Road, Morgah, Kotha Kalan & Dhamma Sayidian Union Councils, Dhoks-Saeedan-Mustakeem-Gujran-Mehra-Chaudrian-Saif-Sayaam, Jhamra, Bareen, Nai Abadi, Allahabad, Tench Bhata, Dhairi Hassanabad, Ratta Amral, Chaklala, Faisal Coloney, Jhanda Chichi, Rahimabad, Gulistan Colony, Murree Brewery, Lalazar, Rehmatabad, Usman Pura, City Rawalpindi #46, and Sadiqabad.
The Trainees are picked up from Kachi Lanes and unrepaired streets.
Darakhshan’s free pick and drop services and the provision of assistive devices has enabled homebound and dependent girls and women with disabilities to access education, computer literacy and skill training programmes.
Special mention has to be made of the outstanding academic achievements of blind girls who were admitted to Darakhshan long after the ordinary school entry age. One of the first Blind Trainees of the Centre has received M.Ed. from Allama Iqbal Open University. Two Blind Girls have received the Bachelors in Education Degrees and are now preparing for the Masters in Education. Several Blind Trainees having benefited from the basic education at Darakhshan are now graduates, and many are pursuing education in local schools and Colleges.
Eleven physically impaired girls having acquired computer skills are now employed in small companies.
Skill trained disabled girls have reached competitive efficiency in sewing, knitting, embroidery and chrochette, and are generating income for their families.
Community awareness programmes and participation in Local, National and International women’s programmes and excursions have raised the image and visibility of the disabled trainee of Darakhshan. The Inherent abilities and productivity of the hitherto so-called “Useless Burden” Girls with Disabilities is changing the discriminatory attitudes of the community and they now occupy a place of dignity in their homes.
SERVICES OFFERED
Free pick and drop and instruction and skill training.
Medical care and corrective appliances
Provision of items of personal use for Visually Impaired- i.e. Eyeglasses, white canes, talking watches, books in Braille, large prints and
audiocassettes and Braille slates. Hearing Impaired- i.e. hearing aids. Physically Impaired- Braces & shoes and wheel chairs.
Rehabilitation equipment i.e. sewing/knitting machines are provided on completion of training for use in the home.
Peer counseling and mentoring
Community awareness campaigns.
Computer literacy
TRAINING PROGRAMMES
Daily living skills i.e. orientation and mobility, self grooming, identification of currency, textures of materials, using the telephone and talking watches, signing, washing and ironing, cooking, first aid and awareness of gender specific issues.
Education i.e. conventional and Braille formats.
Vocational training in income generating skills i.e. tailoring, knitting, textile designing, embroidery, crochette, leather work, glass painting, beautician courses, preparation of greeting cards, candles, and decorative flowers.
