Our Commitment to Inclusive Livelihood
Our livelihood initiatives aim to create pathways to inclusive and sustainable economic independence. Despite progress in disability rights, persons with disabilities continue to face significant barriers to accessing livelihood and employment opportunities. The disruption of educational journeys due to various obstacles severely limits future economic prospects. Additionally, prejudices, environmental barriers, and inadequate support systems may result in higher unemployment rates and reliance on family for financial support.
Our initiatives address these challenges by fostering an inclusive ecosystem that bridges the gap between potential and opportunity, ensuring that persons with disabilities are empowered to pursue diverse livelihood opportunities, become financially independent, and become active contributors to their families and communities.
How We Do It
Our programs are designed to create pathways for economic and community participation. Key focus areas include:
Skills Development
We provide customized training for a diverse range of income-generating activities, encompassing farming, animal husbandry, beekeeping, mushroom cultivation, handicraft production, tailoring, and more. To ensure effective learning, we organize hands-on awareness and training sessions led by local experts.
Government Access and Entrepreneurship Support
Our inclusive livelihood initiatives help our program participants avail government social protection benefits that empower them with long-term access to important financial aid, assistive devices, and other resources. In some cases, we provide seed funds to establish micro-enterprises. We continue to support them in various aspects of setting up the enterprise, such as building infrastructure, sourcing materials, and connecting with customers.
Community Inclusion and Participation
We establish and strengthen inclusive community-based organizations, including self-help groups (iSHGs), organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), and farmers producers organizations (iFPOs). These entities support our participants’ economic endeavors, collaborate with government bodies, amplify the voices of persons with disabilities, and drive inclusion. Ultimately, these organizations foster more equal communities where persons with disabilities are visible, valued, and empowered.
Our Impact in 2023 – 24
8,452
people received skills development training
3,349
people accessed employment opportunities
4,965
people accessed financial services
989
inclusive community-based organizations formed and strengthened
Voices of Change
Real stories, real impact. Hear from those whose lives have been
transformed by our inclusive programs.
Stories of Change
Cultivating Change: Usha Devi’s Story of Self-Empowerment
Today, 38-year-old Usha Devi is a successful farmer and a master trainer in agricultural practices. However, two years ago, she might have had a...
Ramesh’s T(er)ransformation
Ramesh’s face lits up with pride as he displays his lovely handmade terracotta handicrafts at his home in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. Today, Ramesh...
From Shadows to Sunshine: Rangamma’s Inspiring Journey
A few years back, 45-year-old Rangamma was at the lowest point of her life – abandoned by her husband and estranged from her children due to...
Livelihood means more than income.
It’s about independence and dignity.