Bhumi is 4 years old and has cerebral palsy, as well as bilateral congenital dislocation of the hips. Her paternal grandfather is a survivor of the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster, and her family still lives in one of the communities close to the abandoned Union Carbide factory site. Due to her condition, Bhumi has missed a number of important developmental milestones, and by the time she reached 3 years old she still could not sit, stand, or walk. Seeking help, her parents brought her to the Chingari Rehabilitation Centre for assessment.
As both her parents work, Bhumi’s grandmother Shobha brings her into the clinic for her daily treatment. Since beginning physiotherapy, Bhumi’s neck muscles have strengthened, and she can now hold her head straight. She can now also sit independently and move from kneeling to a sitting position thanks to gaining greater mobility in her knees. Bhumi also attends special education classes at Chingari, where she is learning to read, write, and do basic mathematics. She enjoys attending Chingari to learn and play alongside all the other children.
Bhumi’s favourite person is her grandmother Shobha (pictured with Bhumi), and she gets excited whenever she sees her. Bhumi loves the lunches at Chingari and enjoys all kinds of food as long as it’s not too spicy.
