Why a Disability Center for Females?
In Nepal, there is a huge stigma attached to children with disability. These children often become victims of abuse and neglect. Many of these children are hidden away by their families because of shame and stigma attached to their condition. One commonly held superstition that adds to the social stigma is that these children are “cursed because of their sins from past life”. Thus, it is not uncommon to hear stories of children who were forced to spend their entire lives confined to one small room, often dying in the same bed in which they were born.
To address this issue, the Government of Nepal established “Nirmal Bal Bikash Vidyalaya,” a co-education center for children with physical disability and intellectual disability in 2050 BS.
However, the center could not meet the specialized needs of females with ID. Individuals with ID need help for everyday activities: and girls who have started their menstruation need help maintaining their feminine hygiene. The lack of specialized support in the center meant that parents of older girls with ID were reluctant to send their daughters there. And in the absence of any other center providing support to girls with ID, parents had no other alternative but to keep their daughters at home. This meant that the girls with ID were unable to receive the specialized training and support.
On the other hand, girls with intellectual disability are the vulnerable group. They are not aware of the surrounding environment and are also very innocent. They are neglected from their homes and also equally from the society. Thus, they can be easily misused & mistreated through selling of human flesh (trafficking) and sexual abuse. They are not safe in the society. Considering these serious problems, Sungava Homes: Lachana Society was established for the girls and women.
