Established in 1985 and registered in 1995, in Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India, Pragathi Charities, a non-profit voluntary organization, is committed to inclusion and empowerment of persons with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups on rights based and co-ownership approach as enshrined in the UN Convention on Rights of the Persons with Disabilities popularly known as UNCRPD.
Few of our students with Mental Retardation and Hearing Impairment have excelled in cultural activities like dances; dramas, and other areas which probably one would not have even thought of a few years back. The Hearing Impaired students have participated in state level Dance Competitions in "Andhra Wala" Programme conducted by E.T.V. at Hyderabad, which was relayed and brought laurels to the District and State.
Our students are being invited every year to the Cultural Programme held in New Delhi on the eve of "Andhra Pradesh Formation Day" (1st November) since 2006. Our children's Programme on the Stage, before the A.P. Governor, M.P.'s, Ministers, Chief Minister and Speaker of Andhra Pradesh assembly and hundreds of Audience in the A.P: Bhavan, New Delhi was the high light of the programmes and has been very much appreciated and our students got cash awards of Rs.15,000/- for their performance.
The 1st Batch of all the Xth Class, 9 students of Hearing Impaired students have passed, which is a land mark in Nellore District. These 9 students are from the 1st batch of Hearing Impaired students. Out of these students, 2 girl' students are employed in our institution Pragathi Charities as Helper and two other students are employed in an other place as attenders.
Two students of class VII got State Pratibha (Merit) awards through which they got cash of Rs.2,500/- per year for 3 years up to Xth Class. This year 11 students appeared for Xth Class Public exams and all passed."
The main achievement of this year 2007-08 is that we have started "College of Special Education B. Ed. - M.R. with 25 No. of students from various States which is permitted by the RCI and affiliated by S.V. University - Tirupathi.
The Delhi Telugu Kala Sangham has awarded "BABU JAGJEEVANRAM PURASKAR" to our Institution on 4th April, 2008 at New Delhi and our Care Taker Smt. V. Suseelamma was honored by Smt. Sheela Deekshit, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Delhi for the excellence in Social service.
Our students with hearing impairment got 26 prizes in sports and 1st prize in cultural programmes on 3rd December, 2008 (World disabled day).
Our students got 1st and 2nd prizes in the cultural programme organized at Nellore Police Parade Ground on 15th August, 2008.
The Delhi Telugu Kala Sangham has awarded "BABU JAGJEEV ANRAM PURASKAR" on 4th April, 2008 at New Delhi. Care taker of our organization Smt. V. Suseelamma was honoured by Smt. Sheela Deekshit, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Delhi for the excellence in Social service.
Participation of our students in the cultural programme of Andhra Pradesh formation day at New Delhi (1st – 3rd Nov, 2007), has brought 1st prize and Rs. 10,000/- cash award. On the world disabled day, 2005, The Kalanjali Orchestra, Nellore, has awarded us 1st prize for cultural and sports activities.
Jakka Ranga Reddy Memorial Kalapeet has awarded our organization for the best cultural programme of hearing impaired children on 18th Governance of Pragathi is in the competent hands of a Committee consisting of eminent persons and community leaders:
Highly motivated and committed professionals, technical and management staff as team always strive to enhance the organizational capabilities to meet the challenges and make things happen. Staff composition is more than the field norm of 1:7 that is currently maintained at 1:4. Pragathi believes in the value of technology and leverages wherever necessary. State of the art technology, diagnostic and intervention/therapy equipment, tools and materials apart from own buildings admeasuring 25000 sft., are the major strengths of Pragathi. Co-ownership and co-management of the disability rehabilitation programs is another key differentiator of Pragathi and in this direction more than 1000 Disabled Persons’ Organizations have been formed.
Having recognized the fact that community plays a crucial role, Pragathi Charities’ “concept services” cover five themes that are critical for the empowerment of persons with disabilities and other disadvantaged viz., Public Awareness and Detection, (PAD), Full Life Cycle Needs (FLCN), Holistic Development (HD), Access to Environment (A2E) and Care and Support Services (CAS) as under:. Full Life Cycle Needs (FLCN) cover the aspects of prevention, early detection, early intervention, education, vocational training, livelihood and independent living, while holistic development (HD) deals with such needs cutting across the life cycle, viz., physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, psychotherapy, counselling and guidance and family support. Acces to environment (A2E) aims at creating space and reasonable accommodation for the persons with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups. A2E primarily has programs of Awareness creation and involving the community, Barrier free environment, Capacity building, Disabled Persons’ Organizations and Enabling environment.