Delhi SHG Meeting report 05/01/14

VENUE-Sai mandir park, Sector 40, Noida

MEMBERS PRESENT- Amit Dikshit (host), Aditya Khajuriya, Naresh Sharma, Mukesh Raut, Anand Singh, Akashdeep Rayat

DURATION- around 2.5 hours

ACTIVITIES:

1. Introduction

2. Experience sharing and views about stammering- everyone shared their experience at home, school/college/office and at other places and situations faced due to that. There were variations in development of stammering in everyone. Some had problem at home and others didn’t. it was thought that behavior of people around us creates these changes.

3. Bouncing technique was practiced in which the first word was repeated few times to make the mind calm and this helped everybody to communicate.

4. Debate on the topic “is stammering a disability or not”. Every member was given 3 minutes to stand and speak. Speaking calmly and using the techniques was the primary concern rather than the topic. But because everyone was linked with the topic many points were raised. Majority held the view that it is not a disability. The points in its support were:

a. Stammering is like a habit, which has solidified over time and can be corrected.

b. There are many examples of people who have changed

c. It is different from physical handicap and is like a fractured bone, which needs proper care and becomes normal after treatment, which might take long time.

d. Stammering is manifestation of fear of others. We cannot change people but by understanding the problem and practice can tackle it.

e. By accepting it as disability, we would not take up challenge to do well in life and tackle stammering. Some members felt that stammering helped them to work much harder to bring results, which was beneficial.

WHILE, views regarding it being a disability are as follows:

a. It affects our life just like other disabilities.

b. Nobody is able to cure it 100%

c. Some senior members of PWS community personally consider it as Disability.

It was also enumerated that there is lack of proper research and understanding of stammering even among doctors and it is possible that there are some types of stammering which would be incurable linking to neurological problems. Such distinctions are still abstract and not clear, as felt by members.

5. Entertainment round took place; jokes were shared which everyone enjoyed. Members were happy and confident while sharing jokes. Others sang songs and it was found that there are great singers hidden inside and nobody has any problem in singing as singing follows a rhythm. Everyone laughed and enjoyed.

6. “Breaking into alphabets” technique was practiced. This technique needed more peace of mind and practice to be used. Everyone followed the demo given by the host and older members and felt relaxed and very calm.

 Some miscellaneous and personal discussions also happened making everyone feel better.

CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING

The meeting was successfully undertaken and all participants felt much more relaxed and happy and there was a better sense of accepting stammering in everyone. Discussion about the next meeting was done and it was also decided that anyone could prepare a speech/act to showcase in upcoming meetings. Every departed happily.

Note : Report Is Written by Akashdeep Rayat.