MARA T T CHAKO AND ABRAHAM CHARITABLE TRUST Key Issues and
Operational Areas, Major Activiities & Achivements
Operational Districts:
Operational States:
AchieveMents: The Mara T.T. Chako & Abraham Charitable Trust (MTCA) is a non profit Organization (a NGO) registered under the Indian Registration Act of 1908 and legally came into existence on May 19, 2008 vide Document No: D 100(M) at Aizawl, Mizoram.
Right from its inception, this Trust has been promoting welfare among the Mara Tribal Children and Women living in the MARA AUTONOMOUS DISTRICT COUNCIL, also known as Saiha District, one of the most backward Districts in Mizoram. One of our most important programmes is Special Education and Rehabilitation to Special Children (Mentally and Physically Challenged). Over the past years, the MARY HECHIA RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL ( A unit of the MTCA Charitable Trust ) has been imparting Special Education and Rehabilitation in a place not ideal and user friendly. The Children in need of Special Education and Rehabilitation are more in these communities. Other specific activities of the Trust are improving the Healthcare standards of the impoverished Mara and other Tribal people, empowerment of women etc.
From a humble beginning with an enrollment of 15 Special Children in 2008, the MARY HECHIA RESIDENTIAL SPECIAL SCHOOL is today extending Special Education and Rehabilitation to 35 Special Children from 7 Village Councils in the Mara Autonomous District Council, one of the 3 Autonomous District Councils out of the 8 Districts in Mizoram. Still many more children and people with disabilities need our support and services but we are not in a position to do so due to lack of facilities and infrastructure.
The cost of running the above Special School including providing food, clothing and hostel facilities to the above mentioned Special Children are met entirely by the Charitable Trust. In this context, we would like to mention that the MTCA Charitable Trust does not enjoy any financial support from either the District, State nor the Central Government towards the running of the Special School and is wholly dependent and supported by well wishers and donations ( in kind/cash ) from friends and relatives of the Board of Trustees.
With a view of creating equal opportunities for our Children with Disabilities, we approached the District Administration and the Deputy Commissioner, Saiha as early as in May and November
2008 respectively. The Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC), after proper verification and being satisfied with our integrity and bonafides, allotted 2.455 hectaresââ¬â¢of land at Zawngling, Saiha vide their Land Donation Certificate dated 13-05-2008, for the construction of the Special School and a Hospital subsequently for the Mentally and Physically Challenged. They have been feeling the acute need of a Special School for a long time as the only other Special School is the Gilead Special School run by the Spastic Society of Mizoram at Aizawl, the State Capital in the northern part of Mizoram.
Although, the MARY HECHIA RESIDENTIAL SPECIAL SCHOOL ( A unit of the M.T.C.A. Charitable Trust ) was initially started as a Special School for Special Children of the age group from 5-18, it now includes Tribal persons with disabilities of all ages within its vicinity, with separate blocks, due to the following reasons:
1) There is no other Special School or Government Institution/Organisations in South Mizoram namely the Mara, Lai or Chakma Autonomous District Councils addressing the issue of Disability and the ONLY other Special School is in Aizawl, the State Capital in the northern part of Mizoram which is a laborious and expensive journey.
2) The prevailing high density of Disabilities of the Tribal people in the Mara Autonomous District Council ( also known as Saiha District in Mizoram ) necessitated the opening up of our Special School to Special Children of all ages, taking into consideration their poverty and pathetic state of affairs with no one to willing to take care or look after their welfare. Most of these Tribal Special Children and persons are known and related to each other either by marriage or through their Tribal clans.
3) We are the only N.G.O. catering to the need of the people with Disabilities in South Mizoram.
