We deal in reality:

Tamana, began with a dream to change lives of mentally challenged kids. The dream has now become a reality and its scope is expanding day by day. If you want to serve the society, why limit yourself to just one activity? Why not try to expand your reach, why not spread your wings? Tamana has always been open to new possibilities and has devised innovative new projects and programs to deal with new needs.

Today, Tamana handles many projects apart from the Special School and they are all, in their individual ways, contributing to the development and welfare of different kinds of children. We are running research projects, training programmes, media programmes and a few meaningful non-profit bodies.

Rajiv Gandhi Outreach-Cum-Research Cell

Established in August 1992, the RGORC started with a flourish with the Rajiv Gandhi Walkathon, bringing together 4000 students from Delhi's normal and special schools, under the auspices of Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson, Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. Its current activities include First Step Early Enrichment Centre, The Home Training Programme, Counselling through mail and Curriculum development.

First Step Early Enrichment Centre deals with infants up to the age of 6 years. This is a centre based training programme which is run every Saturday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. Each child is assessed, programmed for and trained on a one-to-one basis along with the parents who then carry on the programme for a week at home, coming back for further weekly guidance. It begain in 1994 with five multiply impaired children (3-5 years).

The Home Training program of RGORC deals with children above 6 years and adults. Centre based, it assesses, plans and teaches the students and parent on a one-to-one basis once/twice a week. The programme runs on all afternoons, Monday-Saturday between 1:30-4:30 pm. Under the Counselling through mail program, personal replies to queries and problems have helped hundreds of families all over the country. 1994 saw the beginning of such help in the media. Indian Express now runs a bi-monthly mailbox column for Tamana Special School to answer the many letters written to the column.

Literacy Programme for School Dropouts:

Begun in 1990, a remedial education project is being run in the transit colonies of Ekta Basti, RK Puram for school dropouts. The programme regularly identifies, educates and mainstreams back to normal schools nearly 25 or the school's 75 students in each academic year. The beneficiaries of this programme are also given supplimentary nutrition based on a diet survey. Both programmes are supported by the Delhi Social Welfare Advisory Board.

Nai Disha:

Nai Disha, as the name signifies, is a new direction taken by Tamana. It provides for a Residential Training Centre for 'Young Adults' with mental/multiple disability. Nai Disha was conceived with the realisation that the young adults at Tamana have to be equipped with skills to adapt appropriately to the needs of adulthood and thereby function as an independent whole- physically and emotionally.

The program aims at creating an infrastructure which ensures a smoth graduation from school to the outside world, for the young Adult and the family. It also aims to ensure training and placements of the young adults in various vocations and organisations. This can either be done independently in teh residential centre or by associating with various sheltered workshops and training institutions.

In one year, a minimum of 40 and maximum of 80 students are to be trained by Nai Disha to live as independent adults.

Vocational Training College:

Tamana Association's vocational training college educates and trains adults with special needs in the vocations of textile printing, photocopying, cyclostyling, office skills, envelope making, weaving, cooking, gardening and home managing skills. Students of this college have been successfully getting employment opportunities.

Autistic Society of India:

Tamana has a special interest in working with Autistic children. Backed by a group of highly motivated parents, Tamana founded the Autistic Society of India in March 1991. It was a pioneering effort to share special services with parents and professionals in this field. During these years, with an increased awareness, several children are being diagnosed with Autism. It is heartening to see special services growing side by side and it gives us immense pride to be part of the initiators of this movement. Some of the founder members of the Indian Society for Autism have moved away,  hense it has been revived under a new name- People Concerned About Autism (PCAA).

Main objectives of PCAA are; networking with other organisations and being abreast of the latest regarding the services and techniques available; to provide family support; advocacy and awareness about autism; and providing services for individuals with autism.

PCCA also publishes a bilingual newsletter (English-Hindi) 'Autism News' which helps in furthering some of the body's goals. A helpline on phone on Saturdays between 2-5 pm is another addition to this project.

Teacher Training College:

August 12, 1994 saw the inauguration of the teachers training cell with the introduction of a year-long certificate course in Special Education (for teaching the mentally impaired). The course gives special preference to those from rural backgrounds and from economically weaker sections of society. Some seats are also reserved for handicapped adults. the intention is to help as many mentally impaired adults as possible by imparting the school's own teachers' talents to others who will be Balwadi and Anganwadi workers.

The college has introduced for the first time in India, professional training for the benefit of teacher aides and assist them in improving their classroom effectiveness. Tamana has plans to expand the Teacher Training Cell to a Teacher Training Institute par excellence within 10 years. This will include diploma and graduate programmes, with continuing focus on underprivileged women.

Telefilm Series:

Recognizing the need for social awareness of the problems associated with handicapped children, Tamana has made a five-film tele series (broadcast on the National TV Network) on how parents can train the mentally handicapped post school-age child.