Raphael Centre – Dehradun

In this film, Priyo Lall walks us through the evolution of Raphael – an institution that began with shelter and medical care for people affected by leprosy, and went on to support marginalized children. By setting up vocational training, independent living cottages, and everyday systems to support children and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, this film offers a look at what it takes to support inclusion, day in, day out.
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Actually, Raphael started in 1959 by taking in people who had leprosy.
That was the start.
When Cheshire started the organization, he went to Pandit Nehru Trust for land, because he said when you enter Dehradun, you see people with leprosy at the railway station.
So he said, “give me a place where I can take them away, where they can live a life with dignity.”
So actually, that’s how Raphael started.
We took in almost 200 people with leprosy.
They had their children with them.
So the children were separated and separate hostels made for the children, a school was made for the kids.
And as the children grew up, we took them as far as tertiary education.
So, some of them became teachers, some went to the army, some went into hospitality.
People with leprosy who came to us, those who could work, would also do various trades at Raphael.
They would do weaving, they would do gardening, they would do carpentry.
But now we are not taking in any more people with leprosy because government has taken an initiative.
Also, if it is diagnosed early, it is completely curable.
I’m not sure if it’s been eradicated, but leprosy can be cured.
So we have actually stopped taking in people.
Today we still have about 23 people with leprosy who will live with us for the rest of their lives.
We take care of all their needs and their children come to visit them from time to time.
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Dal, masala, sweets, we get everything, medicines etc., everything thanks to madam, may God Kali bless their family.
So, all of you cook on your own here?
Yes, we cook, using the gas cylinder they have provided us.
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When people with leprosy started coming in here, at the same time, a lot of people abandoned their children who had other disabilities, what we call intellectual disability today.
And so we had set up a hostel for them as well.
And now some of them who are in their 70s continue to live with us.
That has in a way become our focus, where we are working with children and young adults with Down syndrome, with autism, with cerebral palsy, with multiple disability.
We take them in quite young, so actually the youngest could be soon after birth.
I think our youngest child is about six months old.
We have a hostel for about 120 children, children and they stay with us till about the age of 24.
We have another about 80 children who come in every day.
But we work with families from very, very poor backgrounds.
We don’t have any education board.
Today we have catered to about 200 children who have various kinds of learning disabilities.
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Hello!
The task of dressing someone.
We dress up kids.
We also make their beds.
You make beds?
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This is our girls’ independent living cottage, where we have four girls who live with one houseparent.
Over the last, it started in 2009, so the last 15 years, about six or seven girls have gone home.
And they’re living with their parents, helping with all the housework.
We have one houseparent, so I’ll just show you because this has just been done.
They cook their breakfast, they cook their dinner, and they do all their Sunday meals.
And during the day, they go and work in the school.
So they’re in the vocational training or they help in the kitchen.
They’re learning how to wash their clothes, make their beds, make tea, serve you a meal.
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Can we come in?
Yes, come!
Namaste!
Show us your room! Show us your room.
Switch the light on dear. You haven’t changed yet?
This is their colour choice, huh, very…(laughs)
Khushi, which is your cupboard and bed?
This.
And the cupboard? Almari?
This one.
This! What have you put inside?
Clothes.
Clothes, very good.
Khushi, what are you cooking today? What food are you cooking?
Brinjal.
Brinjal.
Do you like potatoes?
Potato.
I like potatoes a lot!
And, what will you eat with the brinjal?
Roti ( chapati)
Roti…and dal?
Dal.
Yes, yes.
(Music.)