India

India is the second most populous country in the world and home to over 1.16 billion people which makes up 16% of the world's population.   Development gains are steadily being made in relation to the targets set for the Millenium Development Goals, particularly in relation to primary education and the literacy rate now stands at 65% according to the UNDP. 

India has over 3.6  million deaf children and according to professional estimates only 1 in 10 are in school and an even fewer number of deaf children go to school. Our first country programme was established in India and we are committed to creating long-lasting change for deaf children and their families in India.  

This page contains links to all our latest news and activities. If you can't find what you are looking for, then please contact us.


A CBR worker working with a mother and her deaf child
We work with local partners to support a range of different initiatives. We focus on building the capacity of organisations working on cross-disability issues as well as those working specifically with deaf children and their families.   We also support parents groups directly by providing social and emotional needs training and skills training focusing on teaching parents on how to communicate with their deaf child.  

Based on the feedback from parents we have also started sign language training for parents taught by a young deaf person and this has been very successful. 

We currently work through five partner organisations across five states including West Bengal, Orissa, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka and support seven parents groups in West Bengal. 

boy with hearing aids in Assam © IDCS-India

West Bengal
The majority of our work is taking place in West Bengal, although we hope to expand our work in the future.  We currently support 7 parents groups and 3 partner organisations in the state:

  • Sanchar
  •  Nir Ideal Home 
  • Graham Bell Centre for the Deaf

Please click here to view more information about our partners and parents groups in West Bengal.



Indian boy signing © Deaf Child Worldwide

Karnataka
Our work in Karnataka focuses on reaching deaf children and their families in rural areas and urban slums. We are currently supporting two organisations in the state:

  • The Association of People with Disability, and
  • Samuha-Samarthya

Please click here to learn more.



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