Community engagement and involvement

Community engagement and involvement (CEI) is a foundational aspect of the NAMASTE programme.

CEI emphasises active participation and engagement with community members, including caregivers, health workers and individuals with lived experience of neurodevelopmental delays and disorders (NDDs), in shaping community-based interventions.

NAMASTE adopted a collaborative approach to co-develop a community engagement and awareness toolkit to facilitate early detection and care for NDDs.

CEI initiatives in the community 

North Goa and East Delhi, India 

Awareness posters about child development milestones have been distributed and displayed at all Anganwadi Centres (AWC). 503 AWCs in North Goa have been provided with posters, and 402 AWCs have received them in East Delhi.  

Since April 2025, around 4,200 child development milestone (CDM) calendars have been distributed to families with children under two years of age in the two regions. These calendars were generously sponsored by HAB Pharma.  

Alongside distribution, NAMASTE is also tracking how these materials are being used in the community through surveys with health workers and caregivers. 

Colombo, Sri Lanka 

Awareness materials have been distributed to all 18 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas in the Colombo district.  

The Sri Lanka NAMASTE team have been actively engaging with the community in a variety of ways. This has included social media engagement through the Obai Mamai (You and Me) Facebook page. This became a key component of the CEI programme and a platform for diverse voices and experiences. This campaign has expanded into other platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.  

The Obai Mamai campaign includes two social experiments to gauge public perceptions, a Parents’ Series highlighting caregivers’ experiences, and a Neurodiversity Series featuring artists, parents, corporate professionals, religious people and tutors sharing their views on neurodiversity.  

There is a dedicated segment called Hear Me, Know Me, which is focused on the voices of autistic adults, alongside a series on drawing, basic therapeutic guidance by therapists and a podcast series with healthcare providers.  

Community engagement has also taken place in the form of awareness programmes such as Autism Awareness Day celebrations, autism-friendly movie screenings, book readings, and the Wear Blue and Light It Up Blue campaigns.  

Through a new initiative, Youth in Action, the involvement of youth organisations like AIESEC along with poster and leaflet campaigns have helped to extend the outreach efforts. This multi-layered initiative works to promote not just awareness, but also acceptance and inclusion for autistic individuals and their families. 

Godawari Municipality, Nepal 

An orientation session on autism and neurodevelopmental disabilities was provided to local government officials, the health post in charge, and the staff and Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) in Godawari Municipality. A street drama was performed in the Godawari community to further engage residents. 

The CEI toolkit materials have been provided to caregivers during the detection and intervention care pathway. We are currently evaluating the effectiveness of CE toolkits to ensure that they continue to meet the community’s needs and enhance knowledge and support for NDD and autism. 

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