Summary

We seek your support to run a one-year focused intervention for people who stammer (PWS) in India of all ages to strengthen self-help groups, create & distribute self-help resources, organize workshops/conferences and enrich current therapeutic practices. 

Who? 

The Indian Stammering Association   
The Indian Stammering Association or TISA is an empowered self-help movement for and by people who stammer.  If you are a person who stammers in India, you are already a member of TISA. It is completely volunteer run.  
TISA was founded by Dr. Sachin, a community health consultant, working in the Indian voluntary sector since 1993. Learn more about him on Stutter Talk. TISA's core-group members are Jai Prakash Sunda, Harish Usgaonker, Virendra Shirse, Amitsingh Kushwah, Vishal Gupta and Dhruv Gupta. TISA's leaders are the self-help group coordinators listed here. 
Started in 2008, TISA's purpose is to collect and disseminate relevant, correct and unbiased information for people who stammer and their families, friends and society in general. It promotes a self help group movement, where PWS learn to help each other and themselves in the ancient Indian spirit: “This Self is to be achieved through self effort!” 
TISA has held 4 National Conferences, over 30 communication workshops, and has many self-help groups around the country that meet at least once a week for 2-3 hours. It has a widely accessed blog, private Facebook group that has grown from 200 to almost 2000 members in just a year, and many whatsapp groups.
Speak: Stammering Foundation     
Speak: Stammering Foundation aims to connect and strengthen the stammering eco-system in South Asia through interventions (like this one on Indiegogo). The foundation envisions a society where stammering is understood and stammerers feel and are empowered to boldly choose their dream life. The foundation is an Indian-registered Section 25 non-profit organization (like 501(c)(3) in the U.S.) and is an Unltd Investee. It was founded by Dhruv Gupta. Learn more about him on Stutter Talk. 
Started in 2014, Speak: Stammering Foundation has collaborated with TISA on the FRIENDS Mumbai Convention and two SLP workshops.
 
What is stammering?

Stammering (or stuttering) is apparent in about 1% of all people, in India that is more than 12.5 million,  1.25 crore, Indians. Among children, under 14 years, the proportion is higher: ~  5%. It is a developmental disorder and therefore, as children grow up, some children (more girls) recover on their own and the sex ratio changes from 1:1 among children, to 1 women to 4 men, among adults. While not fatal per se, it affects all major dimensions of life: education, professional training, relationships, employment & promotion, and contribution to society. Finally, it leads to “loss of self” - a deep existential suffering, spanning large part of life of many stammerers: Who am I? A stammerer or a normal person? 
Poorly understood and rarely discussed, this particular suffering has often led to mocking, discrimination and media distortions.

When?

A one-year focused intervention starting August 2015 to August 2016. 

Where?

India
While Europe and North America have had many initiatives to support people who stutter, in India this movement has been sluggish, largely due to lack of awareness (that something can be done) and lack of resources. 
Many western countries cover stammering under some disability act but not in India. For example, the U.S.A. has a American Disability Act, which covers any discrimination based on stuttering.  In India, there are more than 12.5 million people who stammer. 

Goal

A society which understands stammering and related issues and accommodates needs of adults who stammer and children/teens who stammer with sensitivity and equity; 
AND
a community of people who stammer (both women and men) who are capable of helping themselves and are empowered to work towards creation of such a society. 

Objectives

Four objectives for this one-year, Aug 2015-Aug 2016: 

1. Self-Help Groups To initiate and strengthen self-help groups in India. 

2. Resources: creation and distribution To create and distribute free (or at cost) resources - one-pagers, books, and videos - for self-help groups, children, parents, teachers and SLPs. 

3. Social Events To create and sustain enabling social spaces and structures for young girls/women and boys/men who stammer, and their families. 

4. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) To influence and enrich current therapeutic practices in public hospitals.  

Activites -> Impact

All activities (indicators, method of verification and impact) will be verified by a third-party - UnLtd India, an incubator for social entrepreneurs. Printing quotes are based on 170 GSM paper from Print Stop, identified as a competitive printing supplier - recycled paper will always be preferred.  

1. Self-Help Groups
To initiate and strengthen self-help groups in India.

2. Resources: creation and distribution
To create and distribute free (or at cost) resources - manuals, books, and videos - for self-help groups, children, parents, teachers and SLPs.

Links: Apna Haat Jagannath, Izabella, Seven Stories
3. Social Events 
To create and sustain enabling social spaces and structures for young girls/women and boys/men who stammer, and their families.

4. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs)
To influence and enrich current therapeutic practices in public hospitals. 

5. Support Roles
To support the above activities; Human Resource, Filming/Editing and Legal.

Track Record

Online: Facebook Page/Group, Blog 
SHGs: Blog Entries from SHGs, List of Self-Help Groups around the country
Communication Workshop: Blog entries from Communication Workshops

National Conference/Get Togethers:
1st National Conference/Get Together of TISA at Bhubaneswar, Orissa in 2011

2nd National Conference/Get Together of TISA at Coorg, Banaglore in 2012
 
3rd National Conference/Get Together of TISA at New Delhi in 2013

4th National Conference/Get Together of TISA at Khandala (near Pune) in 2014


FRIENDS: Convention for Children/Teens who Stammer, Families, SLPs:
Mumbai, May 23-24: Photos on Facebook, Blog Post 1, Blog Post 2 

Media
Women who pause by Times of India
A helping hand to beat speech fright by Times of India
Get Vocal about stammering by Mid-Day 
Self help group for those who stammer by Deccan Herald
No more pauses by The Indian Express
Stammering a genetic disorder: Expert by Times of India
Self-help group for speech problem by The Telegraph 
Streaming Syllables by Outlook India
Golmaal 3 sued! by Hindustan Times
At no loss for words by The Hindu
Stuck in a Stutter? by Live Mint
Podcasts on Stutter Talk