– National training brings together 90 educators and caregivers from across India to strengthen inclusive, person-centred support
Bengaluru, 24 September 2026: Sense International India, the country’s only national organisation exclusively supporting persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities, today commenced a three-day National Training on Deafblindness and Multiple Disabilities in Bengaluru. Held under the theme ‘Empowering Lives Through Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Mental Wellbeing for Persons with Deafblindness and Multiple Disabilities,’ the training brings together around 90 educators, caregivers and Sense India team members from across India.
For persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities, access to information and support around sexual and reproductive health, relationships, consent, personal safety and mental wellbeing remains significantly limited. Yet these are fundamental to dignity, autonomy, self-advocacy and quality of life.
Recognising this critical gap, the national training focuses on equipping caregivers, educators and field workers with the knowledge and practical skills needed to support these rights in an inclusive, accessible, person-centred and non-judgmental manner.
The training is being conducted through two focused groups for caregivers, and for educators and field workers. Over three days, participants will explore key areas including puberty and sexual and reproductive health rights, relationships and consent, personal safety, self-advocacy and autonomy, as well as the connection between sexual and reproductive health and mental wellbeing. Sessions will also address emotional regulation, self-esteem and healthy relationships, alongside practical strategies for providing individualised support.
Through presentations, group discussions, participatory activities and experiential learning, participants will gain approaches that can be applied in their homes, classrooms, programmes and communities.
Speaking on the occasion, Uttam Kumar, CEO, Sense International India, said, “Every person has the right to understand their body, make informed choices, build healthy relationships and live with dignity. Persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities are no different. However, the barriers they face often mean that these rights receive far less attention and support. At Sense India, we believe holistic support must go beyond communication and mobility to include sexual and reproductive health and mental wellbeing. This training is about enabling the people who work most closely with this community to provide that support with knowledge, sensitivity and respect for individual choice and autonomy.”
The training forms part of Sense India’s broader capacity-building strategy to drive systemic change and strengthen the quality of support available to persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities. Since 1997, Sense India has reached 84,000+ children and adults through a network of 72 partner organisations across 25 states, alongside its growing infrastructure of direct centres.
By strengthening the capabilities of educators, caregivers and field workers, Sense India aims to ensure that persons with deafblindness and multiple disabilities can access not only education, communication and mobility support, but also the knowledge, choices, relationships, rights and emotional wellbeing essential to living an independent and dignified life.
The National Training in Bengaluru marks another step towards building a more comprehensive support ecosystem, one that recognises the whole person, their rights, their choices and their aspirations.