System Design
Design for Special Needs
Client- Prabhat Alternative Education, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Project Brief
In the system design project, I worked with special needs children. It was a live project done with
“Prabhat alternative Education” which is an organization working with special needs children. To support of CBR program (community based rehabilitation), I designed some story based puppets.
Background Research on Prabhat Alternative Education
Research did in Maninagar & Satellite branch of Prabhat. Observed special children, their daily activities, talked with special teachers, parents. Also studied their play equipments, studied various literatures and understood about various therapies regarding disabilities, participated some activities with differently abled kids.
Purpose
To provide better educational options for the children in Prabhat.
Highlights from the Research
- Need of education among special children.
- Spaces of living seems under estimated.
- Promotion of Prabhat brand.
- Giving presence to awareness for such communities.
System Kit
Final System Product- Community based String Puppets
To support CBR program, I gave the final proposal of puppets (katth-puttli) which belong to local puppet art made by local puppeteers. The main interesting part of these puppets is, they are totally traditional which are existing in Ahmedabad, and are very popular among the common people.
These puppets are strongly feasible for the “Community Based Rehability” program. Puppets are known as the best communication medium for the general public from old ages.
Story for the puppet show
There was a poor family. The family had four members. Karim who was a 15 years boy, lost his right leg. But he was living very joyfully. His elder brother’s name was Mustaak, he was a 23 years schoolboy, but he did not do anything for their family. Salimbhai was Karim’s father and Sayera was the mother. They were very poor, but they lived very politely and gently in Daali Limbda area of Ahmedabad. Karim’s mother & father loved his elder brother Mustaak very much than Karim. But Karim lived very happily. One day, some Govt. Officers came to their village to find a good boy who was physically disabled but who had the potential for doing everything joyfully. Govt. had some offers for disabled people to send them for a special Olympic. Karim was selected for the special Olympic by Govt. officers and he got a medal in the special Olympic. Govt. offered to their family 5000 Rs per month. Also, Govt. offered him a USA trip with his family. Thus, Karim became a great name for his family, his community, his state, and the country.
This story is inspired by a real story of a disabled child of Prabhat Alternative Education who won the award in special Olympic Game. They are not disabled but specially-abled. Characters for this story were developed from the local people of the slum area where Prabhat is running CBR program.
The production cost of Puppets/Characters
The manufacturing cost of each puppet/character is only 85 Rs.
Process of Making
The process of manufacturing is as same as local puppets. Materials are mainly softwood e.g. gulmohar wood, stuffing cotton (all are wastage), enamel-based paint, and fabric.
The puppet Show
Puppets will show by the puppeteer's group whose cost is 1400 Rs per show.