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 and Karnataka.
Forming DPOs and building their capacity to take up activities for the benefit of the community with a focus on the issues faced by children and women with disabilities is the main body of our work. Another important component of our work is partnering with organisations in rural areas to train their staff to work in the area of disability.
According to 2011 Census, India has 28.8 million people with disabilities. Most of these people live in rural areas and do not have easy access to their basic needs. With support and training by ADD India, persons with disabilities in some rural areas are becoming self-reliant and lead active lives.
MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BODY for FY 2023-24
- Ms.B Meenakshi, Hon. President
- Mr. CA Suresh Kumar, Treasurer
- Dr. Lalita Bhatti, Hon. Secretary
- B. Venkatesh, Member
- Dr. S. Rajaram, Member
- Ms. Deepa Sonpal, Member
- Ms. Nidhi Goyal, Member
