The Challenge

BIGGEST question for all parents is the same… “What will happen to our child after us?” Parents of special needs children are like ALL parents-working hard to give their children a bright future and saving enough for their own retirement. But where other parents plan for their children to eventually become independent, parents of special needs children have to plan for 2 full lifetimes- their own AND their children’s. Our children never fly out of our nest-There is HUGE FINANCIAL pressure, especially for salaried, middle-class families.

Parents of special needs children also often face stigma and ostracism from society, families, in-laws and siblings and some live a truly friendless, lonely existence. There is thus a huge community of parents crying out for help, understanding and attention.
 
Scale of the problem is MASSIVE, even among just the Middle class. Per the 2011 Government of India census, there were 23 lac people in India with Mental disorders (likely a gross underestimation). If we assume that 95% of these are the responsibility of the Government and 1% belong to the top strata of society (who do not need financial help) and that of the remaining 4%, there is a 50-50 Urban/Rural split with the rural populace having a community-based support system in place, the balance 2% still translates to a massive group of 50,000 special need individuals, living in urban areas.
 
Parents of these children are really in a tough spot:

~ too aware & concerned to entrust their wards to terribly run public institutions

~ too resource constrained to spend millions of rupees on top-of-the-line residential options.

We have to first find a solution for these 50,000 individuals/families.