Bengaluru, September 24, 2026: Sense International India, a national organisation working exclusively with persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities, has launched a three-day national training programme in Bengaluru to strengthen inclusive and person-centred support.
Around 90 educators, caregivers and Sense India team members from across the country are participating in the training, which is being held on the theme, ‘Empowering Lives Through Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Mental Wellbeing for Persons with Deafblindness and Multiple Disabilities.’
The programme focuses on areas that often receive limited attention, including sexual and reproductive health, relationships, consent, personal safety, self-advocacy and mental wellbeing. Organisers said access to such information and support is essential for ensuring dignity, autonomy and quality of life for persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities.
The training is being conducted through separate sessions for caregivers, educators and field workers. Participants will discuss puberty, sexual and reproductive health rights, healthy relationships, consent, personal safety and individual choice. The sessions will also examine the link between sexual and reproductive health and mental wellbeing, along with issues such as emotional regulation, self-esteem and building healthy relationships.
Through presentations, group discussions, participatory activities and experiential learning, the programme aims to equip participants with practical approaches that can be applied in homes, classrooms, care settings and community programmes.
Uttam Kumar, CEO, Sense International India, said every individual has the right to understand their body, make informed choices, develop healthy relationships and live with dignity. He noted that persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities often face additional barriers in accessing information and support related to these rights.
He said Sense India believes comprehensive support should extend beyond communication and mobility to include sexual and reproductive health and mental wellbeing. The training, he added, is intended to help caregivers and professionals provide such support with greater knowledge, sensitivity and respect for individual choice and autonomy.
The programme is part of Sense India’s wider capacity-building efforts aimed at improving support systems for persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities. Since 1997, the organisation has reached more than 84,000 children and adults through 72 partner organisations across 25 states, in addition to its direct centres.
Through programmes such as the Bengaluru training, Sense India aims to strengthen the capabilities of educators, caregivers and field workers so that persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities have better access not only to education, communication and mobility support, but also to information, relationships, rights, choices and emotional wellbeing.
The three-day national training is expected to contribute to building a more inclusive support ecosystem that recognises the individual rights, aspirations and choices of persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities.
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