Introduction to Navkshitij
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Navkshitij is a registered five-year-old NGO offering permanent residence for Mentally Challenged Adults. Currently, Navkshitij houses 26 Mentally Challenged Friends (MCF). Plans are afoot to start a second unit for 90 MCFs (including 10 severely handicapped), along with a Training College to train special educators and caregivers for MCF.
Navkshitij offers complete care for mentally challenged adults for their entire lifetime. Once mentally challenged children attain adulthood, it becomes increasingly difficult for their ageing parents to meet their ever evolving needs. It makes the parents anxious about the fate of their beloved children when they (the parents) are no more.
The parents also feel guilty about having to pass on the responsibility to the siblings of the MCF.
Navkshitij offers these parents more than just a ray of hope. It rehabilitates entire families through rehabilitating mentally challenged adults.
The main problem with rehabilitation of MCF is that once they are taken in, they are with us for life. Hence, there is a pressing need to establish newer centres for other MCF.
Navkshitij is headed by an empathetic group, many of whom have had personal experience in handling/interacting very closely with MCF. Through years of experience, they have realized that what the MCF needs is peer group and group activity.
This also brings home the urgency for establishing such Homes, where the MCF can stay with their peers and not feel challenged.
The activities at Navkshitij are geared towards this direction. There is a good mix of individual and group oriented activity, including yoga, meditation, gym & adventure activities, and time together at our workshop making chocolates, candles, greeting cards, dolls and handmade paper bags.
Under the aegis of Navkshitij Adventure Club exclusively for MCF, Navkshitij takes MCF from all over Maharashtra on high altitude trekking in the Himalayan region every summer, where they scale 10,000-12,000 ft., besides participating in exciting activities like zorbing, paragliding and rappelling.
In short, Navkshitij offers a necessary and welcome change in the life of an MCF; and, it takes a heavy load off the parents.
