In India, social stigma, stereotypes, and limited understanding of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) often lead to isolation of individuals with these conditions. Inclusion is frequently treated as an afterthought — an act of sympathy rather than a matter of equity.
Our foundational research found that there is very little public understanding of common IDDs, which makes it hard for people to interact with individuals who have them, even when intentions are good. This is the root of the problem: we fear and avoid what we do not understand, and that lack of awareness breeds prejudice and pity rather than genuine inclusion.
We created Naina's Inclusive Duniya to change this. A comic is engaging and inviting for all ages, but especially for young children, who are at the age where they are forming their core worldview. Told through the eyes of a little girl, Naina, the series uses a neuro-affirming narrative to normalise neurodiversity from an early age.
Our aim is to raise awareness of the lived experiences and traits associated with different IDDs, and to show what allyship can look like in small, everyday moments.
Naina's Inclusive Duniya is freely available on Instagram. The central characters have diverse abilities. Some are 'neurotypical' (like Naina), and others have a form of IDD, for e.g. autism, Down syndrome, intellectual disability, dyslexia, cerebral palsy and ADHD. The stories depict daily life scenarios and what allyship could look like.
Using the comic, we design educational experiences for the youth. Inclusive Duniya Circles are 60 to 75-minute sessions done with children or adolescents, engaging them in a friendly conversation about neurodiversity and allyship. Reflective questions and discussion prompts help them interpret the selected stories, and identify how they could be allies to people with IDDs. These can be easily facilitated with materials we provide.
We have created the core of an SEL curriculum based on the comic, and are expanding it. These are short sessions designed to nurture CASEL competencies, which can be easily adopted by schools and conducted by teachers.
We believe that there are change makers at grassroots level within our community, and they should be empowered.
We use a volunteering model for the Inclusive Duniya Circles. We sensitise & train interested allies/volunteers to facilitate the Circles, providing them the materials & support needed. Our volunteers are of all ages & backgrounds - senior secondary students, college students, siblings, mothers, teachers, etc. Circles have been conducted in various parts of India, & in regional languages as well.
In the past 2.5 years, our allies and volunteers have facilitated hundreds of Inclusive Duniya Circles, leading to thousands of children & adolescents having a better understanding of neurodiversity and allyship.
Additionally, our comic has reached over 205,000 people on Instagram.
Naina's Inclusive Duniya is freely available on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/inclusiveduniya/.
We invite all volunteers and allies to conduct Inclusive Duniya Circles with children and adolescents around you!
Once you fill out the interest form, we will send you the Inclusive Duniya Circle Toolkit which has all the materials you need to facilitate a circle.
