The Vision

In India there are 1.5 million spinal-cord injured persons. Most of them are young adults who go from being financial supporters to financial dependents of their families. A spinal-cord injury is no longer a medical death sentence, but often it is a prison sentence.  Many quadriplegics and paraplegics are confined to bed or unable to leave the home due to family pressures or stairs.  They endure social stigmas, and have little prospect for school or productive work.  Our goal is to spread the vision of independence and empowerment of quadriplegics and paraplegics, and to promote support structures that will allow them to realize their potential.

ESCIP is spreading the vision with an award-winning film.
Screened at medical conferences and hospitals, shown on television, translated into 20 languages – the short documentary More than Walking (2010) has spread the vision of freedom to “quads” and “paras” throughout South Asia.  Directed and edited by a quadriplegic college student, the film has won multiple awards at film festivals internationally.  Watch or download More than Walking.

ESCIP is seeking to build networks for support and mentoring of spinal-cord injured persons.

1. 1.We offer a community of local and international volunteers and SCI peer mentors who offer encouragement to those struggling through the rehabilitation process. We are working first to identify volunteer coordinators in the areas of major treatment centers in India.  Coordinators are already in place in Delhi and Ahmedabad.
   

2. 2.Coordinators arrange for local and international sponsors and peer mentors for SCIs and they encourage positive attitudes in families and communities toward the vocational and educational pursuits of SCIs. They also identify rehabilitation and equipment needs and recruit local and international sponsors to meet those needs.
   
   

ESCIP is preparing spinal-cord injured persons to live independently.
In the future we hope to see the construction of a transitional residential facility for new outpatients, known as the ESCIP House, which will provide a permanent model of community re-integration. There, long-term SCI tenants who have independent lives in the community train and mentor those transitioning from hospital to home.