Accessible Swimming Pool

On the first look of Pooja Aquatic Center any person with physical disability will get discouraged for the fact that more than 30 steps needs to compromised to access the pool.

Sunil Jain, Founder of ASTHA ventured into discovering various ways to make this pool accessible for amputees and wheelchair users.

He first surveyed the pool from outside. He found that there are three enterances

1. The main gate  - If one enters through this gate one has to climb with more than 30 steps  to reach to the pool area

2. There is one Back gate - Enterance through this means you can avoide 8-10 steps - That means you will still have to climb about 20 -22 steps

3. After a conversation with security personell it was delight to see that there is one more gate that can lead people directly to the pool area.This gate was not used from years and the place looked in accessible because of uneven grounud and lot of dirt and also the pathway was filled with weeds etc.,. The enterance also 1 feet above the ground level. 

Rather than cribbing and complaining about the situation what was thought of was a collaborative efforts. Sunil firmly belived that physical places may be not accessible but people's heart are always accessible. 

Immediately he took these actions

1. Spoke to Pool authority and convinced them to allow construction of pathway (Ramp) to this back gate. 

2. Called few volunteers to clean the place and make it even so that ramp can be made.

3. Spoke to Sharat M Gayakwad , the paralympic Swimmer and requested him to be a coach for the disabled participants who will start the batch in this pool.

4.Announced the swimming class for amputees and wheelchair users and assured them that this place will be made accessible within 2 weeks. This attacted wheelchair users and amputees and also people on cructhes and 9 people registered for the classes.

5. Pool authority were requested to reduce the fee and they agreed. 

6. Few participants willingly agreed to pay the cost of coaching classes and few requested for concession. ASTHA agreed to provide to meet the shortfall of expenses of caoching.

Result is -

7 amputees and 2 polio survivors are now getting trainied in swimming and experience new mobility of body and spirits in water. Few of them are so happy and confident now that they want to try out competitive swimming and have started preparing for the State Para - Swimming Meet that is coming soon!!

Thank you all the volunteers for your extraordinary support and help to make this happen 

This efforts has made us think and initiate Project to make at swimming available for people with disabilities in at least 10 swimming pools in different parts of the city.

This project will require support and contribution from you - To be part of this journey write to us at celebratelife@astha.in

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