Project TAARE
Children with disabilities may experience multiple barriers to education and participation. Some may be unable to attend formal school, while others may require additional support with learning, daily living, mobility, personal safety or development of practical skills. Project TAARE was developed to respond to these interconnected needs. Implemented under Project Empower, the initiative brought together special education, activities of daily living, personal safety education, vocational learning, mobility support and opportunities for social participation. The programme recognised that meaningful inclusion requires more than access to academic instruction. Children also need opportunities to develop independence, confidence, practical skills and participation in everyday life.
Learning That Extends Beyond the Classroom
Project TAARE supported children with disabilities, including children who were unable to participate in formal schooling.
The programme adopted a broader understanding of education, combining academic learning with life skills, personal safety, mobility, vocational exposure and social experiences.
This approach recognised that children may require different forms of support at different stages of their development and that learning should contribute not only to academic progress but also to greater independence and participation in everyday life.
How Project TAARE Began
The journey of TAARE began in 2013, following an interaction with Pinky, a visually impaired child living at Jeevan Jyoti Foundation in Delhi, during a Diwali mela.
Following this interaction, Save The Quest began visiting the foundation and engaging with the children living there. This relationship developed into a sustained programme of support and became the foundation for Project TAARE under Project Empower.
The initiative evolved from this community-level engagement and sought to respond to the educational and developmental needs identified among the children.
Academic and Daily-Living Support
As part of the programme, Save The Quest supported a special tutor who provided academic instruction to children with disabilities and children who were unable to attend school.
The tutor also worked with children on activities of daily living, helping extend learning into practical aspects of everyday life.
Sessions included basic personal safety and awareness around appropriate and inappropriate touch, helping children develop greater awareness of personal boundaries and safety.
Through this approach, academic education was complemented by practical learning that could support children's confidence, self-care, safety and participation.
Vocational Skills and Mobility
TAARE also incorporated opportunities for practical and vocational learning.
A vocational trainer introduced children to bead-making as a practical skill and activity. Children with visual impairment also received white-cane mobility guidance, supporting safer and more independent movement.
By combining academic support with practical skills and mobility learning, the programme sought to strengthen children's capabilities beyond conventional classroom learning.
Supporting Access to Essential Services
TAARE also responded to practical needs that could affect children's access to public services and entitlements.
In 2016, Save The Quest supported Jeevan Jyoti Foundation with Aadhaar registration for children residing at the foundation, helping facilitate access to an important identity document and related services.
This reflected the programme's broader approach of addressing barriers that extend beyond education alone.
Celebrations, Exposure and Social Participation
Participation and inclusion also involve opportunities to experience environments beyond one's immediate surroundings.
Save The Quest organised birthdays, festivals, shared meals and other community activities with the children. The programme also facilitated exposure visits that provided opportunities to explore new environments and engage with volunteers.
The documented exposure visits included:
- 2015: Nehru Planetarium
- 2016: Kingdom of Dreams
- 2017: Baal Bhawan
These experiences provided opportunities for children to explore, socialise, participate in group activities and engage with environments beyond the foundation.
Education Sponsorship
During the 2018–19 reporting period, children with disabilities continued to receive educational support through Project TAARE, including sponsorship for the education of selected learners.
The annual report recorded that one sponsored learner had progressed to a master's programme in social work.
This progression illustrates the importance of sustained educational support in enabling learners with disabilities to pursue higher education, professional pathways and greater participation in society.
What TAARE Brought Together
Project TAARE brought together multiple forms of support within a single programme:
- Academic education
- Activities of daily living
- Personal safety and awareness
- Vocational and practical skills
- White-cane mobility learning
- Support with Aadhaar registration
- Education sponsorship
- Exposure visits and community participation
- Celebrations and social engagement
The programme recognised that inclusion cannot be addressed through a single intervention. Children with disabilities may require a combination of educational, functional, social and practical support to strengthen their ability to learn, participate, develop skills and pursue greater independence.
Through TAARE, Save The Quest sought to create opportunities for children to move beyond being recipients of support and towards becoming more confident, capable and active participants in their own lives and communities.
OUR PARTNERSCollaborating to Build Inclusive and Sustainable Communities
Meaningful social change is achieved through collective action. Save The Quest works in partnership with corporate CSR initiatives, government institutions, educational institutions, civil society organisations and community stakeholders to expand access to education, accessibility and inclusive development across India.
