Empowering People with Disabilities (PwD)
“There is no greater gift to be offered, than the gift of self-sufficiency”
Abandonment defines the state of most poverty-stricken children with disabilities. Unemployability becomes the reason they stay that way. In a world where the value you bring defines your identity, it becomes all the more important to provide people with disabilities, the skills that can help them become self-reliant.
Through our partnership with the Divya Jyoti Trust, CACTUS has helped visually impaired girls from families that are below the poverty line gain computer training and soft skills, so that they can be self-reliant and define themselves beyond their limitations.
Overview
Persons with disabilities (PwD) face numerous challenges in life. Due to extreme poverty, many parents of such children abandon them. Employability is one of the biggest challenges apart from other social concerns. CACTUS is trying to make PwD employable through computer education and other skill-based training programs so that they become self-reliant. CACTUS also offered them support during the pandemic.
Highlights
Computer education
CACTUS has been partnering with Divya Jyothi Trust to help visually impaired girls seek computer education in and around Mysore in India. Visually impaired girls aged 18–22 years and belonging to below-poverty-line families are given 4 months of computer training, including food and accommodation in the hostel here. Pickup and drop facility is provided to girls who cannot stay in the hostel. The course is provided by the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) under India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The initiative aims to prepare visually impaired girls for higher education and equip them with technical skills that will make them employable. So far, 40 girls have benefited from this initiative in FY21-22.
Covid relief kits
CACTUS collaborated with Sarthak Education Trust to support PwD belonging to below poverty line status around New Delhi, India. Two hundred and eleven PwD were given Covid essential support kits with essential items like rice, lentils, oil, sugar, salt, soap, and masks.
Impact Numbers
251
Number of people impacted
6000
Amount Invested