The founder of Manovikas was Mr.D.Jacob, whose younger brother and another brother’s only daughter are intelectually disabled. In 1993, Mr.Jacob and his family members conducted a survey in Sasthamcotta village and found out 13 more such other children, below the age of 15. After a detailed study and guidence from National Institute for Mentally Handicapped (NIMH), Secundarabad, they started a small centre for the training and rehabilitation of these children in 1994. But within a month the number of children raised to 35. More and more parents came with their children and in 1996, Manovikas was registered as a charity of the parents and sibblings of the intellectually disabled. Duing 1998-1999, they started Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programmes for these children. CBR seems to be the only option available to meet the needs of the disabled especially in rural India. The CBR strategy is not a charity centered approach but one of meeting the special needs with in the community using community resources. This approach strengthens the community, supports the family to meet the needs of disabled and empowers the disabled to live as a contributive, participative member of the family.

Today Manovikas is giving service to over 200 children through its 5 centres with the help of 28 trained staff members, without collecting any fees from them. We give special attention to every child individually. Noon meals are given to all children on all working days and many of our well wishers sponsor food for these children on their special occasions. We give admission to children between the age 3 & 18 and they are divided in to 6 groups, Care Group, Pre - primary, Primary, Secondary, Pre - Vocational & Vocational. Each class consist of 6 to 8 children and they are given services by a trained teacher having Diploma in Mental Retardation with the help of an Asst. teacher. Our CBR programme is one of the best CBR programme for the intelectually disabled, in the state of Kerala. Manovikas is Registered under FCRA with Registration No:052930213, to receive Foreign Contibutions.