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SAMAVESH: MAKING MUMBAI INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE - FOR THE DIFFERENTLY ABLED AND ELDERLY.
Samavesh is Project Mumbai’s initiative towards the inclusion of persons with disabilities as well as the elderly, into the mainstream.
The COVID pandemic introduced Project Mumbai, then just a 18-month-old not for profit, to the challenges faced by the elderly and the differently abled.
HELPLINE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS
Shortly after the lockdown began, Project Mumbai launched a 24-hour tele-helpline for families of those with special needs.
It took on board clinical psychologists as well as special needs Therapists who were available on call. We are all aware how lock down impacted most of us. But imagine a scenario of those with special needs being locked indoors, minus any specialized care?
The helpline reached citizens across 26 states and was a blessing in disguise for such families.
GROCERIES FOR THE ELDERLY
Shortly around that time, 2020, we realized how the elderly, minus their younger family members, were left to fend for themselves, vulnerable and in fear.
Project Mumbai created a hyper local network of citizen volunteers, across a difficult city like Mumbai, to provide grocery kits to such elderly persons.
It followed it up with providing cooked meals as most elderly had no helping hands to cook.
As time passed and the pandemic continued, Project Mumbai realized another challenge faced by the elderly–Loneliness.
A much-needed support system through our mental health helpline and volunteers began supporting the elderly in an elementary effort–conversations.
The post-pandemic era saw Project Mumbai become a go-to institution for all needs.
Our intervention for persons with special needs and mental health support across adolescents saw a diverse group of citizens reach out.
One of them was the wheelchair basketball players.
Conversations with a diverse set of citizens led us to identify key intervention areas
Our Objectives and Goals
- Awareness and sensitizing communities: Change Mindsets towards specially-abled and create inclusive communities
- Physical and Digital Infrastructure changes
- Skilling and Employment for the differently abled
- Accessibility
- Sports Infrastructure
- Mental Health Support
- Inclusive education
- Creating a public private people partnership in making Mumbai Inclusive.
PROCESS WITH IMPACT:
It was important that the state (Government-both local and in the state of Maharashtra) become aware of this challenge and requirement.
WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL AS A TOOL TO BUILD AWARENESS
As a first step, Project Mumbai took on board and groomed wheelchair basketball players. Providing them playing opportunities, sports infra, mental health support, and most importantly motivation and confidence.
Project Mumbai hosted the first ever wheelchair Premier league and put in an attractive prize money for the winners.
Players from three districts joined in and thousands watched.
Celebrities joined in.
This was immediately followed by show matches of such players in key locations.
Sport became a unifier.
At the end of the game able bodied people were urged to sit in wheelchairs to try the game.
Social brainwashing had begun.
AWARNESS THROUGH FESTIVALS
Kalaghoda festival-2024: MUMBAI FESTIVAL 2024
In January 2024 Project Mumbai became the inclusive partner to Mumbai Festival 2024 first of its kind collaboration for Public event by bringing in support through physical infrastructure and support at various venues and events across Mumbai. We also created a unique opportunity towards creating awareness for inclusive community amongst citizens, at the Kalaghoda Fest (KGAF) through a live artwork by specially abled artists.
The artwork was an opportunity for citizens to co-create the canvas and provided a sense of inclusion within the community. It was a successful attempt in sensitizing the need and building a common ground for all to exhibit skills. More than thousands participated every day in the nine-day festival.
Live Painting with sustainable materials and a Musical performance by artists was one of the many highlights created by Project Mumbai.
THE GOVERNMENT JOINS HANDS:
In April 2023, it was a red-letter day as the wheelchair basketball players played a game of basketball in the state government headquarters of Maharashtra-Mantralaya. It was watched by the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, cabinet ministers, Chief secretary and the Municipal Commissioner.
This eye opener led the government to promise support to inclusive infra.
PROJECT MUMBAI AS INCLUSIVE KNOWLEDGE PARTNER
In December 2023, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation brought Project Mumbai on board as Knowledge Partner to help make Mumbai Inclusive.
The pilot plan was to include ten municipal wards (of the 24 wards in Mumbai)
To create:
- Accessible infra in the ward offices
- Inclusive Gardens at least one in each ward
- One accessible school
- One accessible hospital
- all in each ward.
First steps:
Inclusive Garden-Mumbai ‘s First:
The first inclusive garden of Mumbai at Shilpgram Garden in KE ward-Project Mumbai with Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC) created the support infrastructure and upgraded the children’s play area for special needs.
- Provision of Ramps and rails for accessing the garden and facilities
- Provision of the washroom for wheel-bound
- Upgrading and creating a Children’s play area for special needs
- Braille information Signages for visually impaired
INCLUSIVE HERITAGE WALKS:
Project Mumbai raised the bar of inclusivity by ensuring differently abled citizens participate in two heritage walks, highlighting the need for inclusive and accessible infrastructure as well as facilitators.
The Mumbai Zoo opened its doors for such an effort. Lecture demonstrations on such areas was the added highlight.
Our effort does not end here.
This is the beginning.
As they say in Hindi–Kahaani abhi baaki hai mere dost:(There is more to come, much much more)
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION:
Project Mumbai engaged with the government of Maharashtra and brought on board like-minded capable credible organizations and facilitated the introduction of inclusive education in municipal schools. This process has been piloted and will be scaled up.
RAILWAY NETWORK: WESTERN RAILWAY
Mobility remains a huge challenge for the differently abled.
Project Mumbai has now come on board with the Western Railway–lifelines to Mumbai’s mobility system to ensure accessible and inclusive support for the differently abled.
This would include support on infrastructure (through urban planners)
Training and sensitization
An accessibility survey of the stations
PROJECT MUMBAI SEES THIS AS A LONG BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY OF COMPASSION AND COLLABORATION.
NEW
MUMBAI'S FIRST INCLUSIVE GARDEN
“Jogeshwari’s Shilpagram becomes friendlier for the differently abled and neuro diverse
Matoshri Meenatai Thackeray Garden-Shilpagram– is possibly the first Municipal garden and recreational space in Mumbai, which is truly inclusive–to be commonly used by the able bodied as well as differently abled, both physical as well as with neuro diverse challenges.
The Inclusive garden was inaugurated by Maharashtra’s Cabinet Minister of Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation and also Guardian Minister for Mumbai Suburbs, Mangal Prabhat Lodha. The public private people partnership garden, also popular as Matoshri Meenatai Thakre Garden in the K east ward, is a combined effort of Project Mumbai, the BMC as well as Larsen and Toubro as social initiative partners.
The entire inclusive garden is spread across over 5.5 Hectares land–55,000 sq meters and has been equipped with accessible physical infrastructure including railings, ramps and ease of mobility facilities also enabling those on wheelchairs to move around with ease, several resting and seating areas thoughtfully designed for the differently abled and an upgraded children’s play area which has been resurfaced to enable inclusive sporting activities.
To add to it, there has been special attention to digital inclusivity as well by installation of information boards and guidelines even in braille. With the Inclusive aspect added to this, it will be a huge benefit to many special schools in the suburbs getting the opportunity to bring their children here.
It has taken Project Mumbai and L & T landscape experts close to three months to complete the entire transformation. This is the first in many that would be converted into inclusive spaces in Mumbai.
This heartwarming garden is designed to provide a safe and inclusive space for children of all abilities to connect with nature, explore sensory experiences, and have endless fun.
It’s a place where friendships grow just as the flowers do. Together, we’re sowing the seeds of inclusivity, where every child can blossom. #MumbaiKeLiyeKuchhBhiKarega #MakingMumbaiInclusive”
NEW
SAMAVESH – MAKING MUMBAI ACCESSIBLE & INCLUSIVE
Project Mumbai takes great pride in its partnership with the Mumbai Wheelers Wheel Chair Basket Ball Association #MWWBA.
Our collaborative effort will begin with providing accessible playing infrastructure to the fantastic bunch of wheelchair basketball players of Mumbai and Maharashtra, coaching support, employment opportunities and create orientation sessions with parents of differently-abled children, suggest career and healing options so they do not have to struggle with their child’s future.