Dakor Camp 2014

A shocking figure of over 2% of India's population is physically disabled. Of these a large number reside in rural areas. In a day and age when various innovative ideas are available to rehabilitate the disabled, it is unfortunate that most of the rural disabled people yet do not have adequate access to this. With this as the motivation Ratna Nidhi Charitable Trust has worked to create an extensive reach by organizing small as well as big camps in Palitana, Patan, Srinagar, Leh, Jamnagar, Kargil, Guntur, Dharamshala, Rajouri and many more places across India.

This time around the camp was held on the 21st to 23rd February 2014 at the pilgrimage town of Dakor in Gujarat, famous for its Ranchhodrai Temple.

Set up in the premises of Ranchodrai Trust's school that was used exclusively for the project, the camp received unprecedented response. The camp was managed by 22 persons of our staff, in the Technical and Administration departments apart from 15-20 local volunteers. Extensive publicity was done for the camp to ensure that maximum disabled people can benefit from it. With the generous support of Rotary Club of Hanging Garden, Mumbai and Share and Care Foundation, USA, the camp rehabilitated orthopedically handicapped and hearing impaired by distributing about 1365 appliances thus giving a new lease of life to poorest of the poor disabled people from the districts in and around Dakor.

The orthopedically handicapped beneficiaries got free Calipers for the polio afflicted, Jaipur foot for the amputees, as well as Wheelchairs, Tricycles and Crutches. Every hearing impaired patient who came for the camp, underwent an audiology test and was given the appropriate hearing aid.

Orthopedic products such as L.S belts, knee pads and neck supports were distributed amongst those who have been rendered immobile due to age. A simple waist belt is a boon to women in rural India who have to do a lot of physical work at the fields, to fetch water as well as running basic chores at home.