Umang
True to its meaning, Umang is hope of a home beyond home for 25 of our special children entering adulthood. Launch of Umang is like a dream coming true. It is designed and built to be the future home for children with developmental disabilities ranging from cerebral palsy, mild to severe mental retardation and some with physical disabilities as well. These are the children who are orphaned and are free for adoption but there are no takers for them. So where do they go once adults?
This question was the basis for founding Umang. We hope to develop Umang into a secure nurturing environment in which their physical and emotional needs are cared for. Where their dignity and human worth is upheld, where their self-esteem is enhanced empowering them to live productive and satisfying lives as included members of society, for they are also human beings with a right to life, no different, just “differently abled.”
Spread across an expanse of 61/2 acres in Vanjarwadi Karjat District, 90 minutes from Mumbai, Umang is set on an agricultural property with possibilities in various areas ranging from farming and gardening to making handicrafts and even space for a full-fledged cafeteria. Over the last many years, these children have been receiving specialized training at Bal Anand from professionals to develop skills that best suit their individual capabilities and aptitude. In doing so, we have ensured the children will be self-sufficient. To help them function as smoothly as possible, we have appointed a team of dedicated staff and made provisions for all the therapy, vocational training and medical care they may need. The children are already receiving occupational and physiotherapy which will continue for as long as it is required.
We acquired property in 2006 and have an advisory team voluntarily come forward to make the dream of Umang a reality. We hope the children turned adult will move to their new home by 2010.
To make Umang, a reality we have had support of some of the following people, without whom Umang would not have been possible.
- Mr. Arvind Prabhoo is an active advocate for the cause of challenged individuals. He’s a great help for project Umang.
- Mr. Krishna Hedge is our financial advisor. He’s been actively working for almost 2 years now in the development of Umang.
- Mr. Harshad Mehta has for over 30 years been a legal consultant. He is advising Bal Anand in adoption matters and now he’s also helping us with Umang.
- Mr. Rajiv Prakash, a thorough management professional, has been advising on the project structure including plans and proposals.
- Ms. Anuradha Jatar is the headmistress of Sulabha School, school to some of Bal Anand’s special children.
- Ms Jatar has been advising on the occupational and therapeutic care facilities required for the Umang children.
- Dr. Swapnil Keny has extensive experience in the field of medicine in India and abroad. His contribution to Umang is vital.
- Mr. Viswas Gupta and Ms. Smita Gupta are our architects and landscape designers.
- Mr. Sandesh Bendre is our interior designer leading a great team that is working hard to make the interiors look beautiful.
- Mr. Siddarth Kalro joined our team recently and is helping us with developing communications material.
Our journey
Umang is a one-of-a-kind care-farm for the differently-abled children who grew up in Bal Anand. The vision of Umang is a new hope to provide a permanent place of purpose and dignity in an inclusive society. As we say, Umang is a continuation of Bal Anand- a home beyond a home.
Umang is a residential care-farm established in February 2009 specifically for adults with special needs who grew up at Bal Anand, a care facility for children with developmental disabilities. Umang serves as a “home beyond a home” for these individuals, offering them a permanent and supportive living environment. Our vision is to provide a permanent place of purpose and dignity in an inclusive society for adults with special needs.
Since its inauguration, Umang has steadily grown. The first eight residents moved in March 2010, and today, the facility houses 17 residents who live and work together as a close-knit family. Umang has also expanded physically, constructing new buildings and increasing its farming land.
Residents at Umang are encouraged to participate in the care farm’s activities according to their abilities. They take pride in contributing to the success of Umang and their shared community.
Many people have asked the question, “Why Umang?”
Umang came about as a result of a need that was felt very deeply. As children turned to adults in the eyes of the law, they could no longer live at Bal Anand. Even though they were adults in the eyes of the law, in reality, they needed lifelong care and support in their daily lives for a variety of disabilities, both mental and physical. Therefore, a new venue was sought to house them. When everything else failed, it was decided that an ideal solution would be a care-farm supporting various activities allowing the soon-to-be residents a safe and permanent place to live, but also a place to work and gain self-sufficiency, self-confidence, and self-love.
Thus, the hunt began for such a place. After two years of searching, a beautiful 6.5 acre plot of land with kokum, mango, and guava trees to mention some, became available for sale. It was perfect because it was close to a small, bustling town, Karjat, and only 70 kms from Chembur, Mumbai, the location of Bal Anand.
Project Umang was launched on 22 February, 2009 with one existing but refurbished building- the main cottage that functioned as a reception area, kitchen, dining area, recreation area, sleeping quarters and office. The goal was to build a complex for 50 or so residents who grew up at Bal Anand. There were 30 already and the number was growing. We called it Project Umang- a new hope.
In a year’s time two more buildings were ready; a residential building we named Anmol, meaning incomparable, constructed for 20 persons to be disability-friendly with anti-skid tiles, wide openings, and ramps for as much independent movement as possible; and Akruti meaning creative, a vocational training centre where the soon-to-be residents would work.
We went live on 28 March 2010, with an inauguration with trustees, funders, advisers, donors, wellwishers, and friends. Umang officially opened its gates with 8 residents and three buildings- In the subsequent years, Umang has grown from strength to strength. We now have 17 residents, and 7 function-specific buildings like the new dining and kitchen block, vocational training centre, volunteer’s house, community outreach building, medical centre, residents’ cottage and manager’s cottage.
“Umang, meaning ‘a new hope’, was started with the conviction that all persons, even those with mental and associated physical disability, must be treated with consideration, dignity, and respect. We strongly believe that everyone deserves a loving, caring family and a place to call home.”
Ms. Sulochana Kalro
(Founder)
At Umang, we have 5 main areas of work. First and foremost, the residents and their comfort and happiness are our main priority. We also have organic farming, vocational training and workshops, civil works and site maintenance and management, and community outreach and advocacy.
The residents partake in activities according to their preference and potential. Some are involved in gardening and agriculture, some in cleaning and clearing, some in food preparation in the kitchen, some in making handicrafts and jewellery. Hard work is balanced with fun and relaxation. We celebrate all birthdays and festivals in grand Umang style!
With over 2 acres of organic farming and plenty of therapy animals like cows, chickens, cats and dogs who are part of the Umang family, our aim is to become self-sufficient and self-sustaining while empowering ourselves and those around us to succeed.
All the members had a personal connection with Bal Anand either as adoptive parents of children from Bal Anand or as volunteers, donors, and well-wishers. One of the founding members, Bas van Ham, former Honorary Treasurer of the Stichting Welzijn Kinderen van Bal Anand en Umang, had been associated with Ms Sulochana Kalro and Worldchildren Welfare Trust India since 1986.
Today, the Stichting continues to be a valuable partner and we are grateful for the love and support they have showered on the residents over the years.If you would like to know more about them, you can visit their website at www.stichtingbalanand.nl .They have been with us every step of the way and you can too. Be a part of our journey as we bloom and grow.
“I have learned in the time I have spent working here, that I am not just a Staff Member, but a member of a close knit family. The Residents look up to me as their elder brother, and I have a responsibility towards their well-being as I would my own family member”
Mr. Bharat Bamane
(Supervisor of Umang Wwti Operations)
Concept Of Umang
Vision
- To provide the special young adults who are no different but just differently-abled a permanent, secure home in a loving and nurturing environment in which their physical and emotional needs are cared for.
- To respect the individual dignity and human worth, to enhance their self esteem, and to empower them to live productive and satisfying lives as included members of society.
- To be a model home for places housing individuals with special needs anywhere in India or the rest of the world.
Mission
- Umang is a novel one-of-its-kind project: a sustainable, effective, and scalable model that will be the permanent home for orphaned special needs individuals of Bal Anand entering adulthood.
- With Umang, we have the lead in innovating such a model for India by leveraging our decades of experience in working with special needs individuals and knowledge we have acquired from several international institutions.
- It is our aim to be able to share this model and all our knowledge with other institutions facing similar issues and bodies keen to support the cause of permanent residential homes for individuals who are differently-abled and/or have special needs.
What We Do
Organic Farming
We have installed a bio-gas plant that provides gas for cooking as well as slurry that is used as organic fertilizer for the fields.
The purpose of organic farming at Umang is three-fold:
- To keep Umang as self-sufficient as possible.
- To provide our differently-abled residents healthy food that is wholly natural and absolutely free of chemicals/pesticides.
- To provide work and therapy for residents who wish to be outdoors in the natural environment.
The priority of all our produce is our residents who love eating what is grown on their land. Any excess is sold in the Umang shop or the Bal Anand counter in Chembur for income. We are also exploring other avenues of sale for our top-quality produce.
We have areas allotted for landscaping where there has been planting of many trees so as to strengthen the Umang ecosystem and beautify the overall experience for our residents and visitors alike.
Workshop And Vocational Training
The residents who cannot work in farming or cleaning work in the Vocational Training Centre (VTC) where they are taught various skills by dedicated staff and volunteers. They are taught to make beautiful jewelry, delicately embroidered handkerchiefs, colorful diyas or oil lamps, sturdy brooms, decorative torans or hanging door garlands, and so on.
The residents who spend their day in the VTC are our more physically challenged residents and show great commitment to maintaining a high standard of quality in their work. From time to time, the residents require workshops and role-play exercises on overall health and hygiene, dental care, money management, outside travel and transportation, and fire and safety measures.
Our professional staff and volunteers also host workshops for our caretakers on various topics such as emergency first-aid and better resident management techniques. We are grateful for their professional insights and tips.
Students And Volunteers
Volunteers with various professional and educational backgrounds join us for one to six months to give us their expertise and also learn from the Umang model. They live onsite and work in the department best suited to their professional background, be it health and care of residents, agriculture, or vocational training.
To see the testimonials of volunteers, click here.
If you would like to volunteer with us, click here.
Community Outreach And Disability Advocacy
We feel it is our duty to spread awareness and advocate for people with disabilities as having as much worth as those without disabilities. It is our vision and mission to focus on the abilities and what a person can do rather than the disability and what the person cannot do.
We feel passionately about bringing our Umang model to the whole of India so that no disabled person is deprived of dignity, self-worth, and opportunities to succeed in life.
Holistic Health
Medical
We built and opened a small medical centre on site referred to as a medical dispensary where we plan to attend to the various medical needs of our differently-abled residents. This helps address the community as well towards our community outreach programme. At this time we do not have a doctor available to consult with us consistently.
We travel to hospitals such as the Jupiter Hospital in Thane, the MGM Hospital in Panvel , and the Zen Hospital in Chembur to attend to the orthopaedic, psychological, endocrinological, gastroenterological, gynecological and other needs of the Umang residents. At each of these care centres we receive great service and care at subsidized rates.
Nutrition
For the most part, Umang’s residents are fed with produce from their own 2 acre organic farming effort. To benefit the physical and mental well-being of the residents packaged and processed food is minimally consumed. We have also incorporated a gluten- and casein-free diet for our residents with autism with positive results, and give special diets if prescribed by the doctor.
Therapies
Walking Therapy
Yoga Therapy
Physiotherapy
Speech Therapy
Water Therapy
Massage Therapy
Snoezelen Room
Animal Therapy
Glimpses of Umang
Life at Umang for the residents is a unique experience. The open spaces, the greenery, and the absence of the frantic rush of city life have done more for their well-being than science and medicine. They laugh, they play, they work. Their usual day is packed with a disciplined routine starting with a morning walk, followed by yoga, physiotherapy, and completion of their assigned duties of either cleaning, cooking, washing, tending the gardens, and caring for our furry and feathered residents. Those residents who are unable to perform standard chores are trained in the making of various arts and handicrafts at the Vocational Training Centre (VTC).
Visits by many people, including friends of Umang and guests, well-wishers and donors, volunteers and students, and children and staff of Bal Anand keep them connected with the world outside. They also go on regular outings to picnic spots, the seaside, the mall, and nearby resorts which add to the fun of life here. Birthdays and festivals are celebrated with exceptional gusto.
In their time here, the residents have begun to feel inspired. They feel a strong sense of belonging, responsibility, and attachment to Umang as their ‘forever home’. We are proud of the fact that they are confident youngsters with a deep compassion for everyone. Yet at heart and in mind, they remain in need of support all their lives and opportunities as inclusive members of society.
Resident Profile
Aarti – 11 October 1992
Aarti lives in a world of her own, but at the same time she is very aware of everyone and everything around her. She is severely autistic, so she does not like changes to her routine or too many people around her. She moved to Umang in April 2011 and has been making good progress since we put her on a gluten-free and casein-free diet a year ago. She loves meal times, solving jigsaw puzzles, and going on outings to the beach or shopping mall.
Anu – 25 July 1996
Anu is an extremely hard working, affectionate and loving young lady. She puts in a lot of effort in agriculture and is proud of the work she does. She loves to watch her efforts reap rewards in the form of delicious and organic herbs and vegetables and it’s important to keep encouraging her. Anu loves colouring in her mandala book, reading the Thought for the Day at assembly, listening to music, and dancing. She shows off her dance moves to all the visitors at Umang!
Farukh – 27 June 1990
Farukh is a clever and inquisitive young man. He is always curious about how things work and the different uses of things, especially medicinal or herbal plants. He is very Umang-proud and he wants to study further to increase sales in the Umang Shop. He has been using a tablet donated by an adoptee to watch Youtube videos about plants and other things that interest him and is now teaching the other residents like Bittoo and Payal how to do the same.
Bittoo – 11 July 1990
Bittoo is one of our ‘original 8’ who moved to Umang on 28 March 2010. Since then, he has watched it grow and is very Umang-proud, often saying that there is no place like ‘humara Umang’. Bittoo is a gentle soul, a helpful and hardworking young man. He takes his guest management and cleaning duties very seriously and does a good job with both. He enjoys painting, playing badminton and cricket, and taking yoga in the morning.
Ekra – 6 July 1997
Ekra is one of a kind! She is clever and capable of doing anything she sets her mind to. She sometimes struggles with her dyskinetic cerebral palsy and needs to feel useful. In order to make her feel special, and encourage her talents, it was decided that Ekra should make a cake for all Umang birthday celebrations. She did home-science at high-school where she was taught to make jams, biscuits, cakes and so on. We think there could be a revenue stream in this, plus it will give Ekra her purpose in life.
Kishore – 4 March 1998
Kishore is a sweet, smiling young man. He’s always happy to see and meet people. He spends his morning clearing the garden of fallen leaves. In the afternoon he spends his time doing puzzles or lego. He is being taught to wheel his own wheelchair as his arms and hands are functional and it will give him some independence.
Mahesh – 31 January 1999
Mahesh has settled down very well at Umang since moving in May 2017. He loves being outdoors and in the company of the other Umang residents. He especially loves singing ‘Happy Birthday’ and will clap his hands joyfully singing it on any occasion. He picks up the lyrics of songs very quickly and repeats them. He is blind and severely autistic and has been put on the gluten and casein free diet along with Aarti.
Meera – 17 February 1994
Meera is hardworking and capable despite her blindness. She leads the national anthem every morning at assembly, assists with garden clean-up, and stringing beads in the VTC. She also peels garlic and dries the lunch dishes. She needs someone by her side and to be kept occupied at all times. She love animals, especially cows, and her face lights up in a huge smile every time she comes close to one.
Razia – 28 February 1982
Razia, our senior citizen and one of the ‘original 8’, always has a story to tell. She talks to everyone about her life at Umang, her favourite foods, and how she feels about certain situations and people. She works in the garden on leaf picking in the day and then in the VTC stringing beads in the afternoon. Razia loves going on outings and it’s always a pleasure to see her face light up when we tell her of an upcoming outing.
Payal – 15 July 1990
Payal is a multi-talented young woman. As an ‘original 8’, she assists our dedicated cook cum residential mentor, Savitri by cleaning and chopping vegetables. In the afternoons, she puts her creative talent to use in the VTC by stitching bags or making jewellery for sale. Payal is always laughing and joking around with staff and fellow residents who look up to her.
Pooja – 7 February 1989
Pooja always has a sweet smile on her face. She is a perfectionist who is very focused on her work and on all the little details. She likes to ensure our products are of a high standard. Pooja is interested in beauty and grooming. Therefore, we are now looking into ways she can train as a beautician and work in the local area. She is very excited to do this. We think it suits her perfectly.
Rushika – 24 August 1989
Rushika is very sensitive girl who doesn’t like it when people argue or someone is scolded. She has a strong sense of justice and is always on the side of the underdog. This is why she has such an affinity towards all animals- she wants to speak up for those who have no voice. She loves taking care of all the dogs, cats, bunnies, cows and chickens at Umang, especially her favourite furry resident, Goldie the Lab.
Sujit – 25 July 1988
Sujit is one of our most hard working and conscientious residents. He is very soft-spoken and considerate of other people. Every morning he lays the tables for breakfast and cleans the dining room afterwards. In the afternoon he makes paper bags out of newspaper or packages diyas for sale. He can be quite shy but he’s improving a lot and becoming more communicative with the residents and even visitors to Umang. He loves singing and wants to take classes to improve his natural abilities.
Usha- 8 November 1987
Usha is a very strong-willed young lady with a 100 megawatt smile. She has tremendous determination to be independent and live her life on her terms. As she is unable to go anywhere without her electric wheelchair, she paints diyas and makes beautiful jewellery in the VTC during the day. She also a real foodie! She loves chicken curry and pav bhaji as a special treat.
Vanita – 15 April 1995
Vanita is a sweet girl who is making great strides at Umang. She is on leaf pickup duty along with Razia and Kishore in the morning and then solves puzzles and plays with lego in the afternoon in the VTC. She’s very affectionate and often will sit next to you wanting to hold hand. She also loves dancing. She is making tremendous progress in speech therapy and we are all encouraged by her persistence and improvement.
Zubin – 4 December 1991
Zubin is extremely strong willed. He wants to do things himself and hates having things done for him. He makes beautiful colourings, beaded garlands (torans), and brooms in the VTC. He thoroughly enjoys himself when people visit and loves looking at photos on their phones asking questions about their family and birthdays. He endears himself to everyone who meets him. He is a character!