Interview with Marika Millar, Executive Director MIBLOU, Switzerland

 

 

What is MOBLOU?

MOBLOU is a small NGO based in Switzerland, which was basically created by my parents Jo and Brian Millar in 1980. The trust started when they adopted two children from India – Mina and Bablou. In fact the name MIBLOU is derived

from the two  children names.  The idea was  to  support  activities related to destitute children by creating Day Care Centres.  Our funds are raised from Swiss private donors and we only work with organizations in India.

 

 

What is the main focus of  MIBLOU – Mobility India partnership?

The entire relationship dates back to 1995, during the early years of Mobility India’s inception and was bonded with a pleasant meeting with Chapal.  We were impressed with his vision and ideas.  His concept of RAWWD ( a co-operative  of women with disability in Bangalore) was unique.  We knew Gautam Chaudhary (Secretary of Mobility India. Daisy who was associated with MIBLOU had a son with disability and this further made us take up the idea of supporting Mobility India. In a  nutshell, we were confident to go ahead with the partnership.

Is MIBLOU planning to venture into any new areas?

At the moment we are concentrating on issues dealing with children with disability, which includes different aspects of a voluntary organization, but primarily reaching the beneficiaries

What are your hobbies?

I am comfortable creating anything with my hands. I like anything from handicrafts, knitting, weaving to glass paintings.  I even do the interior decorations of my house. I also enjoy reading, especially while traveling.

Do you have any long term plans?

If I look into the far fetched future I can see myself being involved with working for women’s issues, violence on women, rights of women and see that women get the respect they deserve. *

 

SOUTH TO SOUTH CO-OPERATION - VISIT TO ETHIOPIA


Chapal, Executive Directedvisited Ethiopia in August. The main purpose of the visit was

to understand the present Prosthetics, Orthotics, Rehabilitation scenario and to identify the areas where further intervention is required.  It was also to give consultancy service to Jaipur Limb Campaign, UK (JLC), one of Mobility India’s long-term  funder   to   decide its future plan of   inter-vention at Ethiopia especially with Handicap National, a local NGO.  In this connection, he visited all the large Rehabilitation Centres especially those having prosthetics  & orthotics workshop in and around Addis Ababa – capital of Ethiopia.  The learning revealed that the country has few well equipped workshops, but the average workshops, but the average Ethiopians cannot access due to the cost and delay in getting it.  Cheshire Home is reaching out to thousands of children especially with polio every year but the technology needs to be updated. The so called “Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Programme” is more like an out reach service.  Rehabilitation services followed mostly by the NGO’s are typical medical  model.  The focus is more on prostheses (artificial limbs) than orthoses (calipers) as it brings more foreign funds.  There is  a huge need for proper rehabilitation service like in any other Low Income countries especially funds.  There is a huge need for proper rehabilitation service like in any other Low income countries especially for children with polio and multiple disabilities.  Recommendations were made to JLC for further action.  Mobility India has committed to share its resources to bring a change in the disability scenario of Ethiopia.

 

 

TRAINING

 

 


 Trainees during therapy practicals

A year long training programme in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Therapy was inaugurated on 1st July, 2002. A total of thirty trainees from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Andhra  Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Kerala and Karnataka have enrolled for the same. Out of the 12 male and 18 female, 5 males and 9 females are persons with disabilities.  One of the trainees is a person with speech & hearing impairment.  The one year long training includes

not only technical aspects but also visit to slums, communities, partners and training in English and computers. It is hoped that the end result of the training will make the trainees qualified technicians in the respective fields they have chosen and also help them in writing small reports/ case studies.

 

 

COMMUNITY BASED REHABILITATION PROGRAMME

 

 

Mobility India works in 15 slums in Banashankari. The summer schools, which were conducted earlier, resulted in 320 children being admitted to regular schools, and out of this 31 children are with disabilities.  Apart from this the children were provided with books and 42 children with disabilities were supported with 50% of the admission / tuition fees.  Peer groups  have beenformed to develop  friends and   support the children with disabilities in


Children at the open school

regular schools.  Some of the other activities include 120 children going for a picnic to the Bannerghatta Wildlife sanctuary.  General medical assessment programme covering 1070 people and its follow-up was organized.  Cataract surgeries were conducted for three people and 4 children underwent corrective surgeries.  9 persons were fitted with rehabilitation devices to enhance their abilities.  Home-based therapy is provided to 66 children with disabilities.  One person with disability has been assisted to set up a screen-printing unit.

 

 

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

 

 

To address the larger need, Mobility India has taken up a project with the help of  KaR DFID and Jaipur Limb  Campaign UK in mass manufacturing of PFO (caliper components). Similarly a new initiative has been taken to fabricate light weight plastic prostheses (artificial limb) component prototype which has been developed

has gone for die making for mass production in future. In addition to this, Prototype of suction machine helpful to fabricate high quality prosthesis/orthosis is ready.

 

 

DIRECT REHABILITATION

 

 

K. Mahadev is a very happy person today.  He has just acquired his own transport vehicle.  Mahadev is a dwarf who is 25 years old and belongs to Mallur taluk in Karnataka state.  He has studied up to standard V.  After this he started performing in stage shows.  He is a linguist (can speak Hindi, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi) and use his language skills in his performances.  He performs in about 15 programmes a month, besides this he has acted in regional films with famous cine stars.

Mahadev was referred to Mobility India by Ms. Sobha Nambisan, Principal Secretary, Women and Child Welfare Development, Government of  Karnataka.  Mahadev was given a 3 wheeler earlier in a camp, but was not very happy with it.  He was nervous driving it and tried to get it repaired, but in vain. Today after Mobility India has helped him in choosing an appropriate tricycle, Mahadev is comfortable with the same.  After testing the drive he is of the opinion that it is perfect for him.

Mahadev now has concrete plans for the future after acquiring the tricycle.  He wants to start a petty shop selling sweets and condiments since the stage shows do not fetch regular income.

 

 

CAPACITY BUILDING OF PARTNER ORGANISATION

 

 

Ayyaswamy is 17 years old and lives in Gandhigram, Dindigul District and studies in 12th standard.  He was very young when he lost his father.  His mother is a daily wage worker. When Ayyaswamy was a year old he developed fever and he lost control over both his legs. When he was 6 years old he was fitted with a conventional metal caliper.  He stopped using it after a while as it was too heavy and caused

 

 

him a lot of pain.  He did not do any exercises to strengthen his legs.  After this he started using bilateral axillary crutches for mobility and putting partial weight on his right leg.

When the team from Mobility India visited Ayyaswamy, he was complaining of severe pain in his right knee and was unable to walk.  After the assessment he was advised a strict exercise routine for his right knee and spine and was asked to wear a left KAFO. All this was done to enable him to get back his posture erect and walk with ease by distributing his body weight on both his legs.  He was given gait training to get used to his appliance.  With a little more practice he will be able to move around with just his caliper and will not require a stick or crutches as earlier.

MI’s  intervention at the right time has given him an opportunity to gain better mobility and pursue his dreams of becoming a computer engineer.

 

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

 

 

 

MOBILITY INDIA
1st & 1st  'A' Cross, JP Nagar II Phase
Bangalore 560 078
Phone : +91-080-6492222,
Fax : +91-080-6494444
E-Mail : e-mail@mobility-india.org
Website : www.mobility-india.org

MOBILITY INDIA REGIONAL RESOURCE CENTRE
P-91, Helen Keller Sarani, Majerhat,
 Kolkatta 700 053Telefax : 033-4093914,4012190
E-Mail : mic@vsnl.com 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 


 



 
 This site is developed & maintained by www.jplaninfotech.com