‘Disability welfare must be rights based’

KOLKATA: Social organizations working in the field of disability and similar sectors need to shift from charity based models to a rights based approach to become self-sustaining and empowered.
Jeeja Ghosh, a disability and gender activist for over two decades who was formerly associated with the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy, has co-founded ‘Ebullience Advisors’ to mentor NGOs and advocacy groups, provide legal advice, finance and taxation and empower persons with disabilities to match the requirements of the corporate sector.

“We need a paradigm shift as funds for organizations working in the disability sector have become minuscule. Moreover, the charity-based model lowers self-esteem and drive. We want equal rights and empowerment which will make us self-sufficient. We need to experiment because otherwise we will not be able to figure out opportunities,” said Ghosh.
“We need to identify and take corrective measures from a very early age so that probability of curing it is much higher,” said Sayomdeb Mukherjee, the co-founder of Ebullience Advisors.
They have also initiated a non-profit outfit called Inclusion Infinite Foundation (IIF). “We aim to reach out to the last person staying on the margins,” said Chandra Sen Gupta.