The Association for Welfare of the Handicapped popularly Known as “AWH was formed in the year 1973. It was registered in 1975 under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860. The organization is also registered with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act of 1976, with FC No.052880056 dated 10.4.1985. The organization has also obtained income tax exemption under sections 12A and 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

The Association for Welfare of the Handicapped, is a premier NGO, working mostly in the developmentally backward region of Malabar in Kerala State.

The aims of AWH were then limited to facilitate rehabilitation of persons with all categories of disabilities and also the welfare of women in distress and take up child welfare programmes. As of now; the aims and objectives of AWH encompass the entire rubric of development, education and rehabilitation.

The incidence of disabled population in a country like India has been estimated as 7 to 10 percent of total population. After having the protracted initiations rendered by various agencies in the area of disability rehabilitation, we could only cater the needs of one percent of disabled persons in the country. Still the major chunk of the target group has marginalized from the preview of rehabilitation services.

The situation of economically and developmentally backward region like Northern Kerala, was pathetic as in the more poverty ridden area, especially among minority people, the rehabilitation services for disability people were almost nil. In this context, the organisers of AWH felt the need to escalate a planned scientific approach to rehabilitate the people with disabilities.

AWH has started both residential and daycare, special education/training centres for various disabled groups such as hearing impaired, visual impaired, mentally handicapped, cerebral palsied, locomotor disabled, multiple disabled like deaf-blind, leprosy cured and also for the genetically and hereditary disabled people. Simultaneous with the disability services, AWH were also vigilant to sensitize the issues related to women and children in distress, aged people, substance addicted and chronic disease affected people, hence, AWH started appropriate service and treatment centres for them.

AWH was very particular at its inception itself that all services and activities should be scientific and time-tested. So AWH focuses on a systematic approach in the rehabilitation services. The activities emphasised were in Early detection and Intervention, Special Education, Vocational training and Job placement and also to be kept a continuity and consistency in all activities and effective follow-up till the result is achieved.

At present AWH rendering services for about 4842 persons coming under different category of disabilities (See the Appeal).

Through the varieties of activities among disabled and invisible marginalized people, AWH proposes to achieve equal opportunity, protection of rights and full participation of these people and that achievement would turn as a golden gate for the inclusion and mainstreaming of these people in the society.