Parents hail Telangana Neighborhood Centres for transforming lives of children with disabilities
Hyderabad: Parents of children with disabilities shared emotional stories about how the Telangana Neighborhood Centres transformed their children’s lives. The centres provide free rehabilitation services close to their homes. As a result, many families said they had regained hope for the future.
The Telangana government launched the Telangana Neighborhood Centres under the leadership of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Panchayat Raj, Rural Development, Women and Child Welfare Minister Danasari Anasuya Seethakka. Mandal Mahila Samakhyas manage the centres through the Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP).
Telangana Neighborhood Centres expand rehabilitation services
The government said the centres now operate in 26 districts. They provide community-based rehabilitation to nearly 3,000 children with disabilities.
The programme supports children with autism, intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy and other developmental conditions. Moreover, it brings professional therapy closer to their homes. Parents said the centres reduced long-distance travel. They also ensured children received therapy and rehabilitation regularly.
Telangana Neighborhood Centres bring hope to families
Mamatha, from Raghunathpally Mandal, said her son once struggled with simple daily tasks. He also could not hold objects properly. However, regular speech therapy and physiotherapy changed his life. He now communicates independently when needed. He can also hold objects confidently.
Later, he won first place in a district-level carrom championship. He then secured first place in the state-level competition at Domalguda. Similarly, Sirisha, from Rajapur, said her son Kripakar could not walk independently. He also struggled to speak clearly.
After attending the centre regularly, he began walking on his own. He now speaks clearly and attends school like other children. Parents said these improvements gave their families fresh confidence. They also said the Telangana Neighborhood Centres had become a lifeline for children with disabilities and their caregivers.