Abstract:
Advancements!in!research,!technology!and!awareness!about!our!built!environment!and!its!relationship!
with!the!disabled!have!started!sensitizing!the!general!public!about!the!importance!of!creative!inclusive!
designs.!Unfortunately!not!everyone!gets!this!privilege!and!there!are!parts!of!the!world!where!sensitizat
ion!is!not!prevalent!and!the!disabled!are!left!to!rely!on!external!assistive!help.!This!project!would!be!a!st
epping!stone!in!empowering!persons!with!disabilities!and!proving!spaces!for!these!children!at!an!early!
age!to!help!them!maximize!the!potential!that!they!were!born!for.!
According!to!the!census!of!2011,!in!Manipur,!it!has!been!revealed!that!3798!disabled!persons!are!from!
the!rural!sector!in!Churachandpur!district!and!228!are!from!the!urban,!making!it!a!total!of!4026!persons!
with!disabilities!in!total.!However,!there!is!no!proper!space!from!them!to!learn,!engage!and!empower!th
emselves.!Therefore,!it!is!a!requisite!that!space!be!provided!for!them!that!would!cater!to!all!their!needs!i
n!one!composite!place.!
The!Ability!Village!would!aim!to!create!spaces!that!would!allow!the!disabled!to!live!a!comfortable!life!th
at!is!free!from!any!barriers!and!help!empower!them,!starting!from!an!early!age,!to!grow!up!and!lead!ver
y!independent!lives!which!would!require!very!minimal!assistance.!It!would!be!a!“village”!that!caters!to!th
e!needs!of!the!disabled!in!the!district!and!create!a!holistic!inclusive!environment.!This!ability!village!wou
ld!integrate!work,!education,!recreation,!home!and!lifestyle!in!one!composite!site,!thereby!enabling!to!e
mpower,!teach!and!give!a!more!better!quality!of!life!to!the!persons!with!disabilities!residing!in!the!region
