Empower people with disability to combat the devastating effect of COVID 19 on their livelihood

In India, persons with disabilities have poorer health conditions, lower education achievements, less economic and higher rates of poverty than people without disabilities as per The World Report on Disabilities by World Health Organization. This is partly because persons with disabilities experience barriers in accessing services that many of us have long taken for granted, including health, education, and employment.

With the rise of the global threat of COVID 19, the situation even gets worse as their physical condition and medical comorbidity put them at higher risk of developing the severe complications of COVID- 19. Further, distancing is not an option for many as they rely on others including personal support workers and caregivers to support their needs including movement, bathing, feeding.

Due to COVID-19 restriction, many people with disabilities who operated small businesses, informal livelihood ventures (home cell phone repair or machine repair shops, selling goods) or employed in MNCs were unable to work due to inaccessibility, technological barriers and economic recession. As a result, there is a significant loss of income affecting the family income of the household further resulting in the composite GDP of the nation.

• Imparting free of cost online vocational skill-building training to Persons with Disabilities.
• Providing immediate Assistance/Placement support to Persons with Disabilities who lost jobs.
• Provide direct education to people with disabilities and their families on how to protect themselves against COVID-19 through online sessions.
• Connect people with disabilities with available community resources which are difficult to access during this period of lockdown including pharmacies, medical clinics and assistive equipment providers.
• Counselling of Persons with Disabilities and families.

More and more, job roles are requiring formal training qualifications either because of legislative requirements or to meet the requirements of specific employers. Developing skills through training provides significant benefits including increased employment opportunities and personal growth. Sarthak would be bringing the change in the lives of PwDs, who shall then be competent and skilled to perform the job and more skilled people will help in growing the GDP of the nation. Further, providing counselling and accessible information on COVID would help the community of people with disability far and wide. With the program, we plan to reach out to 1000 beneficiaries.