Senapati based NGO, MANEDA brings smile on many faces
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, November 30 2014 : Manipur North Economic Development Association or MANEDA in short, strictly guided by its vision to work with the most marginalized and excluded section of the society especially women and children with the primary attention and care for disabled people, brought smile on the faces of many marginalized people in the State particularly in Senapati district.

Recently, MANEDA gave the most excited 'smile' to various marginalized and excluded people in the district including Imphal by organizing a fitment camp at its HOPE Centre, Senapati from November 22 till November 29 .

An international branded aide and appliance sponsored by Liliane Fonds, Netherlands through Jain Vikash Smiti (JVS), Vanaras collaborated with Mobility India, Bangalore were availed to beneficiaries in the Orthopaedic Assessment held on May 16 in collaboration with Mobility India at Senapati.

Beneficiaries within Senapati district including Sadar Hills were fitted with the international branded aide and appliance by a team of Mobility India, Kolkata members from November 22 to 24 while beneficiaries of Imphal were availed of the benefits from November 25 to till November 29 at the fitment camp held at MANEDA Hope Centre, Senapati.

A non-profit and non-Governmental organisation based in Senapati district, MANEDA was established in 1991 with a vision to create a society free from poverty in which every person can assert his/her own rights to lead a dignified and meaningful life.

MANEDA also operates in other parts of the State.

With such core values of vision and mission MANEDA continues to multiply smile in the faces of many marginalized and excluded people particularly Persons with Disability through the support and help from its different partners for more than 20 years since its inception.

The man behind bridging the gap between the two communities of Nagas and the Kukis during the ethnic clash in 1993, T Peter Rangnamei is the Secretary of MANEDA and Director of MANEDA Hope Centre, Senapati.

He raised the NGO just after two years of the Kuki-Naga conflict.

"I am struggling hard to organize a 'Love Feast' during such situation to bridge the gap between Kukis and Nagas due to the conflict with the help and support from elders of both the communities", recalled Peter while talking to this reporter.

He succeeded in organizing a big love feast at Chalwa, one of the worst affected by the conflict and that became the turning point for both the communities to look back into peaceful environment.

"Since then under MANEDA we provided loans to women vendors at Kangpokpi as well as at Senapati to uplift their economic status.

It also organized 'Sing for Peace' tours to interior part within the district to bring back those lost smile on the face of both communities.

Rangnamei said that after MANEDA started extending helping hands to disabled persons through the support of Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR), Bangalore in 2003 there was no turning back.

With much enthusiasm the team of MANEDA started implementing the CBR program against all odds.

People in the district never knew about Disability Certificate or the 3% reservation of job.

Apart from sensitising the disabled persons of their rights, MANEDA also managed to dispel the superstitious belief on disability and inculcate the right temper, he said.

MANEDA was also instrumental in setting up of a DPO in the form of Senapati District Physically Handicapped Association (SDPHA) now called Senapati Disabled Peoples' Association (SDPAM) through the initiatives of some disabled CBR workers of MANEDA.

With the aim to look after children with disability (CWD) in the district, MANEDA Hope Centre was also set up with the support of Liliane Fonds.

Innocent Smile Foundation and Innocent Smile School for children with disability was formally started in February 2013 by Willem and Else of Netherlands after visiting MANEDA.

Pick and drop service is extended to 8 children from Senapati DHQs.

Having partners in development with CAPART, India; Development Commission (Handicraft), New Delhi, India; Action Aid, Guwahati; CARITAS, New Delhi; Stiching Liliane Fonds, Varanasi; Embassy of Luxembourg, Bangkok; INGOU, Imphal; CBM, Bethany Society, Shillong, Meghalaya; Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, Bombay; Indo Global Social Service Society (IGSSS, Guwahati); Light for the World, Austria and Stiching Innocent Smile, Netherlands, MANEDA has been organizing and implementing various programs, seminars, awareness, sports meet, exposure visit, poster campaign and wall painting etc for welfare of the society particularly the disabled community.

Under the same CBR program MANEDA also worked with All Disabled Union Sadar Hills (ADUSH) in various fronts for the welfare of disabled community in the district.

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