Maithree – an association of parents, committed to the welfare of persons with Intellectual handicaps, was born in the year 1994, by few parents of child with mental handicap, with a vision to Integrate the persons with Intellectual handicap into the mainstream thereby bringing dignity to their lives.
Based on the above vision, we (Maithree) took up the following as our Mission to reach the goal.
- Reach the persons with mental handicap by providing an array of services duly supported by appropriate infrastructure and qualified personnel.
- Create an awareness & acceptance both in the society and family of such persons by providing necessary support.
Maithree with a modest start from the drawing room of one of our friend (a parent), providing special education to three children with special needs and with 9 parents, has now grown far and wide to reach over 350 persons with special needs through its 19 centers, located in Perambur, Moolakkadai, Kolathur, T. Nagar, K.K.Nagar, Ullagaram, East Tambaram, West Tambaram, Kodambakkam and Vembakkam near Kancheepuram. Needless to say that since its inception in 1994 Maithree has touched the lives of hundreds of special children and their families with the concept of, “Take the school to the child”, which enabled the birth of many service centers across the length and breadth of Chennai..
The array of Maithree’s services include :
- Special Schools for functional Education.
- Activity Centers for meaningful occupation.
- Vocational Training for future employment.
- Sheltered workshops for Economic Empowerment.
- Care & Management of the profoundly challenged.
- Group Home for boys which is a home away from home.
A 100 member professionally qualified team comprising of Special Educators, Occupational Therapists and Physio Therapists provide education to these children.
This being a non-profitable & charitable organization, we depend on the parents, like-minded well-wishers, philanthropists and the society at large for our activities.
Though Maithree has come thus far in the last two decades from a humble beginning, We have not lost sight of the road yet to travel.
