Mumbai: The Beru Matimand Pratishthan in Badlapur, around 60 kilometres from Mumbai is an organisation that provides a life of dignity to people with disabilities, including those who have been abandoned. This centre functions out of a 1,500 sq. ft. accommodation, built on a little over 2 acres of land in Badlapur in Thane district adjoining Mumbai.
The Centre provides care and maintenance for the mentally challenged persons, specially abled, bedridden patients and the elderly. At present Beru Matimand Pratishthan has sheltered around 100 residents and they are being looked after with due care in a congenial atmosphere by the staff at the Centre.
Beru Matimand Pratishthan helping people with disabilities
The Pratishthan serves children right from the age of 6 months to old age. Every effort is made to keep the residents in maximum comfort with all required amenities, medical care and entertainment facilities which are perhaps better than what they would be provided at their homes. For every four residents, one person totally devotes 24 hours for inmate's daily routine.
The Beru Matimand Pratishthan was started by Sulochana Beru after she failed to find a proper caregiver for her own specially abled son. The day-to-day administration is very closely monitored and guided by trustees, who are none-other than the parents of specially abled children. Sulochana Beru told NDTV, “We have workers who take care of those who stay here, and there are sisters who look after their medical needs. If anything more is required, we have a doctor visiting daily. Caretakers are also always there. During both COVID waves, we had a very difficult time as the donations from outside stopped. We did not have much funds in the bank.”
Beru Matimand Pratishthan was started by Sulochana Beru after she failed to find a proper caregiver for her own specially abled son
That situation still persists to some extent - a shortage of funds, but not in the care that the Pratishthan provides - for everyone from 6-month-old babies to those in their sunset years. “That Lottoland wants to help us and that they are interviewing me is a something that makes me happy,” Sulochana Beru adds.
Ravi Mehta, one of the senior residents of the home says he is well taken care of and he lists his activities during the day at the centre. “I play games, I sleep, I sit around here. I play cricket with my friends, and I have friends here. We play games for two hours every day,” he told NDTV.
Arundhati, another specially abled resident can only use one hand to paint, but she wants to become an artist one day. She spends her time painting. “I paint twice a day. I do it outside. I love painting. I draw sceneries and animals too,” she told NDTV.
Providing healthcare facilities and work opportunities in rural India can be a challenge. And treating people with disabilities during illness also requires time and patience with limited medical facilities in rural areas. Dr. Dinesh Jadhav, BAMS, the visiting doctor at the Centre says, “The children cannot articulate what they are going through easily. By understanding the symptoms from the caretaker, we diagnose the patients. We also have to make them willing to take medicines and undergo treatment. In the beginning it was a challenge but now it is easier, and I am happy that now I can treat these children with the experience I have gathered from treating them."
Beru Matimand Pratishthan depends on donations and it is that money that help founders run this place
“To support these children, we depend on donations and the donations help us to run this place. When they are disturbed that is the time that is most difficult to manage. We then consult the doctor and sometimes we do it on a video call. They cannot articulate easily. We have to observe them and understand how to deal with the problem they face,” says Sandhya Kadam, Accountant and Administrator of the Beru Matimand Pratishthan.
India has a huge shortage of facilities for people with disabilities, especially in rural areas. The Beru Matimand Pratishthan was set up to make an attempt to address the needs of these people especially in rural areas and today with over 100 residents it hopes to continue to serve those people whose needs get neglected by the society.