Demystifying Neurodiversity for families who are underprivileged with Ummeed CDC
We developed this campaign in collaboration with Ummeed CDC, a Mumbai-based non-profit. One of the main reasons behind it was our research and social listening showed us that there is a significant lack of awareness and understanding about Autism and Down Syndrome in low-income and underprivileged communities in India.
Existing resources are often not culturally or linguistically accessible to these families, and - in a lot of cases - not affirming enough. There is a dire need to address and correct common myths and misconceptions about developmental and intellectual disabilities.
Data & existing perceptions:
Studies and existing research indicates that awareness and acceptance of neurodiversity are low in India, especially in rural and low-income areas.Â
Through social listening and interactions with our online community and families, we identified some specific myths and misconceptions prevalent in these communities, such as viewing Autism as bad behavior or believing Down Syndrome prevents access to a successful career.
The insights:
Many parents believe in the myth that Autism can be cured with traditional medicine or behavioral corrections.
There's a prevailing misconception that children with Down Syndrome cannot lead successful professional lives.
A significant number of families mourn the birth of a child with Down Syndrome, rather than celebrating the child’s birth.
In a lot of families, mothers are blamed for the birth of a child with Down Syndrome, or an Autistic child.
Our approach: Wanting to address Hindi-speaking low income families through easy-to-understand literature, we created a docket of illustrations, comics and stories that resonated with the lived experiences of Indian families.
Our focus was on educational content that not only informed but also celebrated neurodiversity, highlighting strengths and capabilities.
Apart from ensuring their use as physical fliers and print-outs to put up on pin boards at the center, we also uploaded these resources and content to multiple social media channels to ensure wide reach and engagement.
Campaign objective & goals: To educate and raise awareness among low-income and underprivileged families about Autism and Down Syndrome.
Goals:
Demystify disabilities and bust common myths surrounding neurodivergent conditions.
Provide culturally relevant resources.
Engage and educate a wide audience.
Challenges:
Ensuring the content was culturally appropriate and sensitive.
Making sure the information was accessible in Hindi, addressing the lack of affirming resources in regional languages.
Solutions devised:
Our narratives, language and campaign material were designed to speak to low-income families, families from tier1, 2, and 3 cities, and rural areas, as well as underprivileged Hindi-speaking families, and the general audience.
All 10 stories put together as part of the campaign had positive and affirming messages about neurodiversity, focusing on strengths and capabilities.
We addressed the specific myths that our research showed, and provided factual, easy-to-understand information about Autism and Down Syndrome.
Deliverables:
3 x carousel posts (engaging illustrations & comics to engage the audience)
6 x static posts (graphical illustrations and explainers)
Platforms:
Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn: chosen for their wide reach and ability to engage diverse audiences
Offline spaces: Resource kits were distributed at Ummeed CDC centers and events
Length:
The campaign ran consistently for a period of 3 months
Content was released periodically to maintain engagement
Impact:
High engagement across social media platforms
Consistent traction and sharing on WhatsApp and Facebook groups
Overwhelmingly positive feedback from parents and caregivers
Conclusion & learnings:
Successfully raised awareness and educated target audience, effectively addressing cultural and language barriers
Demonstrated the importance of culturally relevant and accessible content in driving engagement and education
Way forward:
Continue to create and share educational content t
argeting more communities and regions, including other regional languages
Partner with more organizations to amplify impact
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