The Happy Home And School For The Blind
Founded in 1925. Where children with visual/multiple impairment take their first steps to understand their environment and begin to learn that their world is connected to what they hear, feel and touch but cannot see.
Those first steps were taken 100 years ago in a restricted, rented space shared by five blind boys.
Today, the Happy Home & School for the Blind is a safe and stimulating environment where 200 cheerful, carefree and confident boys cross barriers of language, religion and creed and discover how to make their unique mark on the outside world.
The Happy Home & School for the Blind is a living celebration of the thirteenth-century prayer written by St Francis of Assisi: "Make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is darkness, let there be light, Where there is sadness, joy"
।। तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय ।।
From Darkness To Light
Learning To Live
Academic and curricular goals are important. As is personal bearing, self-discipline and good behaviour. Every child must learn to stand tall and to express themselves, to speak clearly, confidently and politely. There is no space here for self-pity. Children must be taught not to expect pity or charity, but to become contributors to society.
At the Happy Home, we channel each child's innate abilities and natural enthusiasm to develop confidence and independence from a very early age. We provide the support for students to acquire the skills they need to negotiate their own steps towards self-reliance
We involve parents as much as possible, both to minimise separation anxiety and so that, wherever possible, the lessons we teach at the school can be continued and practised at home when the children return to their families at the weekend.
Fingers That See
The children's creativity is explored and encouraged in many different ways in order to stimulate their imaginations, improve their physical dexterity and build their sense of achievement. The children paint with aromatic paints, make and glaze pottery, spin thread and weave cloth on a handloom. Some of the children become skilled carpenters. The walls of the School are decorated with some of their most exquisite mosaic work.
Music
Visually impaired musicians are among the most celebrated. Think Steve Wonder, Suchit Narang, Andrea Bocelli, Ravindra Jain and Ray Charles, none of whom believed their blindness has been a challenge. On the contrary, recent research suggests that the brains of visually impaired musicians are better wired musically because they have a more sophisticated sensitivity to auditory stimuli.
Whatever, the Happy Home is alive with the sound of music. Many of the children learn to play the flute, violin, cello, piano, drums and percussion instruments. Making music enhances their confidence and boosts their self-esteem and natural joie de vivre,
The Happy Home is proud of its many accomplished young musicians and its excellent choir. Students aged from 7 to 20 join the choir and sing in many different languages. The choir has brought music to so many, including our former President, Abdul Kalam, our former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and the Nobel Peace Laureate, Muhammad Yunus.
One of the highlights of the past year was an invitation to sing in Kigali, Rwanda, as part of the annual memorial service for the genocide of Tutsi people. The choir receives countless invitations to sing all over the city, specially at Christmas for carol-singing, their harmonies lighting up the lives of their audiences.
Mobility
"Look where you're going!" called a teacher as a child ran down the steps at breakneck speed. "I would if I could!" cried the child, laughing cheekily, as he disappeared around the corner of the staircase.
For those with visual impairment, mobility is essential for independence. Strikingly, there are no white canes inside the Happy Home. The original School, founded in 1925, was a restricted rented space highly unsuitable for those with disabilities of any kind. This beautiful building was designed by the legendary Architect, Mr I.M Kadri. The ease of movement and physical safety of visually-impaired children was, for Mr Kadri, of paramount importance. But he also succeeded in designing a landmark building, both lovely to look at and wonderful to work and live in. Here the children can hone their internal antennae in order to gauge where they are and how to move about within the building and, from there, out into the world beyond.
Only when a child has the emotional and physical confidence to be unafraid of what they cannot see can they walk down a corridor, across a classroom filled with desks and into a dining room to find their own place at a table.
Co-curricular
Physical fitness and flexibility are encouraged in daily yoga, swimming and regular gymnastic and judo sessions in the School's well equiped gymnasium.
Not surprisingly, cricket is the boys' favourite sport and they learn to bat and bowl with tremendous skill, using a ball filled with ball-bearings or bells to provide audible cues.
Low Vision Training
Children are encouraged to make the most of their limited or residual vision. They learn to use technical aids such as magnifying glasses, tilting table tops and large print text. Some of the children have shadow vision which means they can see blurred shapes but cannot recognise a face. If a child has sufficient vision to count fingers, he should be able to learn to read and write large print and also to use a computer, which can lead to a career in IT. With the help of spectacles and considerable expertise as well as artistry, some children learn to use diamond cutters to slice shards of coloured glass to create vivid and luminous mosaics.
Firm Foundations
From their first days in the Montessori Class, the children make the most of their sense of touch, smell, taste and hearing in order to make better sense of the world around them. The pre-school years allow for an informal, unstructured curriculum during which skilled teachers can assess each child's individual abilities and set realistic goals. Functional dexterity is developed with the aid of toys and games, and very quickly the children can tie their own shoelaces and button their own shirts. Learning how to have fun in the classroom and on the playground is as important as learning how to climb steps safely and how to operate daily gadgets. Slowly but surely, the children gain physical and emotional assurance, acquire self-reliance and begin to embrace their independence with confidence.
Journeys Of Change
Impact Stories
Mahesh Deokar
Mahesh is presently Professor and Head of Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies, Savitribhai Phule University, Pune. He obtained a Masters Degree in Sanskrit, a Masters Degree in Pali and PHD (Pali) University of Pune.
Ketan Kothari
Currently Ketan is a Managing Consultant at the Xavier’s Resource Centre for visually challenged at Xavier’s College Mumbai. Ketan has over the years worked in the field of Advocacy and inclusion for persons with visual impairment.
Kishor Gohil
Kishor’s professional expertise is phenomenal. Kishor has founded and launched several organizations to assist persons with special needs. Kishor organizes and performs shows with professional ensembles and has led outreach social cause programmes for eye donation drives, fund raising events and community support.
Chandra Peraswamy
Chandra belongs to a family of five visually impaired members who were all treated by our Ophthalmologist Dr. Keki Mehta for congenital cataract. Chandra worked as a humble office boy at the age of 18 with a leading Law firm in Mumbai.
Jaydeep Singh
Jaydeep is a dynamic, focused, active, self-motivated, determined individual eager to learn and deliver the best practices to the aspirants of Judo. With a fierce determination and unwavering passion, Jaydeep has been breaking barriers and shattering stereotypes in the world of Judo.
Khandu Bhandare
Khandu has two older siblings who are visually impaired. From humble beginnings in a remote village he has now received a graduate degree, Diploma in Software Programming.
Nitesh Sonawane
Nitesh has been with Happy Home & School for the Blind since he was 5 years old. He was an unfortunate victim of an acid attack during the 1993 riots in Mumbai and sadly lost his vision, despite numerous surgeries and treatment.
Rahul Gajjal
Recently returned from Aston University, Birmingham after completing Master of Science Degree in Human Resource Management, Rahul has numerous credits. He is an HR professional with a strong background in Digital Content Creation and Communication Skills.
Impact Stories
Mark your calendar
- Charity GalaThu, 25 JanSan Francisco, CA, USA
- Volunteer DriveThu, 18 OctSan Francisco, CA, USA
- Fundraising MarathonMon, 10 DecSan Francisco, CA, USA
Alumni Achievers
Mahesh deokar
Mahesh is presently Professor and Head of Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies, Savitribhai Phule University, Pune. He obtained a Masters Degree in Sanskrit, a Masters Degree in Pali and PHD (Pali) University of Pune.
His academic achievements are outstanding. He has undertaken and completed several research projects and has co-ordinated study programmes with Salisbury University U.S.A., Kanazawa University, Japan and Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, Varanasi U.P.. His brilliance and outstanding academic experience is admirable.
Nitesh Sonawane
Nitesh has been with Happy Home & School for the Blind since the age of five, after losing his vision in an acid attack during the 1993 Mumbai riots. Despite this, he has excelled in music, training in Jazz, Classical, and Indian genres. A gifted musician and mentor, he has nurtured the talents of hundreds of visually impaired students through workshops and training.
Nitesh is a lead performer in multiple bands and has toured internationally, including the USA, UK, UAE, Uganda, and Kenya. He continues to teach at his alma mater, leading choirs that have performed before eminent dignitaries and at prestigious venues across India and abroad.
Lives We Nurture
With over 10,000 students guided and a century of dedicated experience, we have walked beside each child as they step with confidence into the world of work—transforming potential into purpose, and ability into independence.
Riyansh
Sarthak
Advait
Anand
Divya
Sairaj