Founded in 1885, the Bombay Institution for the Deaf and Mutes (BIDM) is Asia’s oldest facility for the differently abled. The school is run by a trust of the same name and serves 105 students from below-poverty-line households. Education is offered free of cost to more than 100 students in English, Hindi, and Marathi languages, and the school is open to students from all communities. The school aims to help all its students achieve their highest scholastic potential. The school also encourages its students to take part in vocational training programs where students learn skills such as bookbinding, needlework and screen-printing. The main intent of these programs is to equip students to face the challenges of life with practical skills and to enable them to become financially independent.