Resource Support and Training Unit

SANCHAR is a Training Resource Organisation of CBR Forum, Bangalore (established by MISEREOR, Germany) and has also provided trainings to the partner organisations of Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology (CAPART) under Ministry of Rural Development and Government of India

With 28 years of experience, SANCHAR has been established as a Disability Information Centre at the state level. In December 2011, SANCHAR started a Helpline for disability related information across West Bengal.

SANCHAR has a strong network with CBOs and NGOs both at state and national level. In 2006-2007, SANCHAR built a network with more than 100 community based organisations to mainstream disability in their existing activities and to carry out a research for two years on the status of persons with disabilities with a special focus on girls and women in all 19 districts of West Bengal.

SANCHAR’s one of the focus areas is advocacy for Disability and Human Rights. SANCHAR is involved in various advocacy activities to influence the policies and programmes and to make them disability inclusive.

SANCHAR’s Research based initiative seek to understand the quality of life of persons with disabilities, the core issues at the grassroots in the path of inclusion and the gaps towards a disability inclusive community development.

The Braille Printing Division was set up in 2005 as part of the Resource Support Unit. Earlier the division used to publish various Acts, advocacy documents, Govt. schemes and facilities both in English and Bengali version.

SANCHAR develops a range of training and Information, Education and Communication materials in multi-languages. SANCHAR has developed a number of short-films and documentaries on disability issues.

Swabalambi is an inclusive income generation group of young adults with disabilities and their friends and family members who have already been trained as part of SANCHAR’s livelihood intervention. The group receives regular support in improving their business skills, upgrading and designing the products, networking and marketing.