Akshar Trust: Lend Us Your Ears

Mission Statement

The endeavour of Akshar Trust is to enable the individual with hearing impairment to have a useful, happy and fulfilling life.

Children with hearing impairment deserve a sound academic environment which will prove to be their opportunity, perhaps their only opportunity, for a life of self-reliance and dignity.

Akshar Trust, Baroda, was established in 1988 to:

•     provide education and care to hearing impaired children and guidance to their families,

•     conduct research, investigation and experiments in education of hearing impaired children, and

train teachers of the hearing impaired.

Akshar Trust runs Akshar Centre for Hearing Impaired Children and Teacher Training Programme D. Ed. SE (HI).

Many of our earliest children have gone on to finish their graduate and post-graduate studies from the MS University of Baroda. Manisha Sindkar got 53 % in M.Com and has been absorbed in the ONGC as Accountant while Kanaka Bhatt has recently finished her M.Com with 58 % and worked with an export house. Presently she is married and the mother of a hearing daughter.

 Centre for Hearing Impaired Children

The Centre started with 5 children and has now expanded to a regular school with 165 children, who are taught in 2 mediums – Gujarati and Hindi. Our curriculum follows that of the Gujarat Board but we are adapting the text books since our children’s needs are different. We take in children as young as possible. Our youngest child has been 12 months old.

No hearing impaired child is refused admission. Even children with problems in addition to hearing impairment are admitted. We deal extensively and daily with amplification devices like hearing aids, group hearing aids, and speech trainers.

Donor Opportunities

There are several opportunities for individuals and corporates interested in supporting us. While we work hard at fund raising, money is always short and the needs keep increasing. Donations have largely supported the activities since its inception. Assistance in kind, such as books, CDs, VCDs, information material for children and teachers are always welcome. Since more than 80 % of our students come from economically weak families, several opportunities exist to help such children and the Centre. Some of these are:

•     Adopt-A-Child Programme: Rs. 15,000 per year

(Expenses per Child per Year including fees, bus fees, hearing equipment consumables, notebooks, drawing paper, sketch books, pencils, colours, erasers)

•     Adopt-Our-School Bus Programme: Rs. 1,50,000 per year

(Expenses for regular running and maintenance)

•     Adopt-Our-School Bus Programme: Rs. 12,500 per month

•     Mid-Day Meal for the Children: Rs. 12,500 per month

Well wishers of the centre regularly donate snacks, stationery and furniture for the children.

The Akshar Trust is a not-for-profit, voluntary, secular organisation. It is registered with the Charity Commissioner, Baroda , under the Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950. It is also recognised by the Director of Social Defence, Government of Gujarat. All donations to the Trust are exempted under section 80 (G) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

With prior appointment, you are most welcome to visit our Centre.

Please contact:
Nisha Grover
Hony. Principal &
Managing Trustee
Akshar Trust
11th Floor, Kirti Tower
Next to Kirti Mandir
Tilak Road
Vadodara 390 001 (Gujarat)
India
Phone: +91-265-2427522, +91-265-2427544
Phone (Centre): +91-265-6458117
Fax: +91-265-2427599
Email: akshartrust@gmail.com