Dimesha (Discuss, Meet, Share)

Today, India is a country in transition. Although people with disabilities are starting to be heard and their rights acknowledged, they still remain a discriminated and excluded minority in Indian society. Parents of children with disabilities are destitute and isolated. How can they be helped to take care of a child with different abilities?

Ophélie came up with Dimesha, a website for conversations, meetings and sharing experiences, intended for parents of children with disabilities. This service has a strong social impact: it helps federate a community of mutual aid and encourages parents to spend time with their child. In addition, it provides them with the tools they need to take care of their child’s disability on a daily basis.

" Dimesha is an interactive online tool that connects parents of children with disabilities. It is designed as a platform to support and share the specific difficulties encountered by these people. Thanks to the website and chatbot, parents can contact medical experts and education professionals. They become part of a caring community of families and friends who live a daily experience similar to their own. They share their experiences and create common memories. Ophélie’s project has a strong social dimension, as it highlights a taboo in India: that of disability. Very early on in her project, Ophélie chose to address parents in a unifying and collective dynamic. This was in order to better accompany parents when they first discover their child’s disability. The fact that Dimesha focuses attention away from a particular handicap, instead focusing it around unifying elements, is what makes it a unique and relevant project. "

Hélène Thébault, India Studio Course Leader