A lifelong champion of the right and privilege of the Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), particularly children, Pauzagin Tonsing, who started The Malsawm Initiative, Center for Community Initiative (CCI) in 2021, was awarded with the Amazing Indians Award, 2024 (Education Category) by the Times Now Media at New Delhi on Saturday.
The widely telecasted national award is organised annually by the Times Now where awardees were selected from those shortlisted from all over India by a competent panel of judges who eventually selected the winner based on their performance and activities.
The CCI with the motto of “Inform-Inspire-Initiate was startled in 2011 and deals in mapping a positive and supportive environment for PWDs and most marginalised communities to bring about an inclusive society.
The CCI now runs the Malsawm Initiative Ability Centre, Pearsonmun, Churachandpur which so far were instrumental in helping 574 PWDs after its inception. They have a well equipped staff and infrastructure to help and educate PWDs of various categories.
In the event organised at New Delhi by Times Now, 13 awards from different categories were conferred after an intense screening by a competent jury where union Minister Kiren Rijiju also attended as guest. He assured that the views and suggestions expressed by the awardees will be taken into consideration in the Parliament.
The Malsawm Initiative (TMI) was started at the campus of Lalpuithruai Foundation School, Bungmual in 2011 with help from the schools proprietor, T Vunglallian. It started with one classroom and one volunteer but presently has nine classrooms which cater to the needs of 100 children.
It may be mentioned that the director of TMI and CCI executive director Pauzagin Tonsing initially started it as a life skill training programme but now have its own Malsawm Ability Resource Centre (MARC) where classes were held at the Early Intervention Unit of Disabilities and Therapeutic Services Unit which also organises Community Outreach services through their Community Volunteer.
In regards to other activities like training and capacity building, the center helps different government and private schools of Churachandpur district by providing Inclusive Education Training, Capacity Building, Advocacy and Community Empowerment, skill development and vocational rehabilitation among others.
