This is the note we have received from one of our volunteers Mr Bahadur who has many years of experience in the manufacturing sector – Shanti

Dear Ms. Shanti and Mr. Dipesh,

Let me be grateful to you for giving me an opportunity to witness and enjoy the wonderful cultural programme performed by the people of EnAble India.
Decades of your effort was quite visible in putting confidence in your people both on and off stage. Shanti’s commentary added value to the mute performances, which in itself was of high standard.

I could also learn about the multi-talent of both of you during the programme.

The energy and enthusiasm of all in the hall till the end of the programme showed their involvement. My hearty congratulations.

It was rightly concluded with "Om Shanti Om"

With kind regards,
R S Bahadur

Being in the communication field I always thought that some phrases were overused. So when we chose ‘celebration of human spirit’ I took it as a good choice of words. But yesterday I realized why this phrase was coined. It was coined for lifetime moments ( as Dipesh sir said ) like what we experienced yesterday (Dec 20, 2009). All boundaries dissolved. No one could figure out who were the candidates, staff, volunteers or visitors. EVERYONE participated with the same spirit.

Kudos to the volunteers for their tireless efforts, sharp focus and ensuring candidates’ safety and upholding the ‘celebration of ‘human spirit.’

-        Anju Khemani, Program officer, EnAble India

I felt ecstatic about yesterday’s event. It was completely an inclusive event. The event was successful due to sincere involvement of all EI staff and EI volunteers. I would like to thank all volunteers, staff and more over all candidates and people who supported us to make this celebration splendid.

-        Praveen Kumar, Specialist-Training and Solutions, EnAble India

We celebrated 10 years of EnAble India on SUNDAY, Dec 20, 2009. When we decided to celebrate this event, we knew what we did not want: speeches eulogizing EnAble India, podium with dignitaries. We wanted: equality for all, inclusion for all, participation from all.

So here are the TOP ten reasons why I think the EnAble India Day rocked

-        Every person, the candidates with disability, volunteers, staff and companies were the chief guest. The theme was the celebration of the human spirit and wow! It definitely was!

-        The whole event was planned, organized and executed by staff, volunteers and our candidates. It was difficult to make out who had organized the event. Better still, the founder (moi, myself) was not involved in any aspect of the planning of the event (hmmm.. tells you the real ingredients required for success!)

-        Everybody participated in the inclusive games/sports. It was difficult to stop the heats and move on to the finals in the blindfold game or the obstacle wheelchair game or the musical run-around!

-        The inclusion for ALL was amazing – everything spoken in English was repeated in Kannada as well as sign language. Every visual aspect of the game and skits/drama were spoken or dramatized “in style” for the visually impaired. Audio aspects like indicating the “start of music in the musical run-around” was done using a light bulb.

-        The entertainment program was inspiring – the talent by every visually impaired, hearing impaired, physically disabled and other participants (volunteers) was simply amazing. The EI dance saw EI staff participate with volunteers and candidates where there was a mix of visually impaired, low vision, hard of hearing, hearing impaired, physically disabled folks in the same dance!

-        The impromptu dancing especially towards the end when the floor was open to all. Visually impaired, hearing impaired, physically disabled, the shy folks, managing trustee, trustee, staff  – everybody danced!

-        The high voltage levels of everybody from 10 am till (can you believe it) 8 pm! The whistles, encouragement, madness all around!

-        The knowledge sharing where candidates gave us invaluable inputs on what has been good so far and how we can improve. The genuine pride that candidates felt for EnAble India was touching.

-        The pride and emotions just under the surface – for the potential that each of the participants displayed, for the genuine emotions that people had towards EnAble India

-        For me – it was most memorable because I saw freedom on people’s faces. Free of inhibitions, people were just themselves – pure and natural!

- Shanti Raghavan, Founder, Managing Trustee, EnAble India  | Ashoka Fellow

Recently, IBM China senior managers met me and were highly impressed with the employability training that Enable India conducts. They have invited us to have talks with the Chinese government and to aid them in increasing employability in their employees with disability. As per their laws, they HAVE to take persons with disability (pwd) into their organization. However, due to lack of proper training and development, the pwd are not able to contribute. I have been a little hesitant to commit to this since we have SO MUCH work to do here in India! When I conveyed this to Enable India staff members, many of them told me that “the disabled in China also require our help. We must help and share what we can” – Hats off to them for their inclusive thoughts! So perhaps it is written that one day Enable India to enable China? Well, it is our privilege to enable all! 

- Shanti Raghavan

Perseverance, stubbornness, a willingness to learning, taking criticism positively, a hunger to succeed and achieve – all have led Pragathi to reach the pinnacle.

During the early days of Medical Transcription Training, she was so raw and innocent. Gradually, she grew stronger & slowly marched towards independence. At some point, she accepted Medical Transcription as her career and remained dedicated. She offered herself to be moulded. She would always apply any instruction or suggestion given and correct her errors without feeling frustrated. She developed the commitment and made use of every minute during her training.

She did very well during the OJT. She went to Hubli, her native place and tried for a job on her own. She went through four rounds of selection procedure and emerged successful. She got a job at LSI Info Tech, Hubli through her own efforts. She is the first and the only VI in that company. She has created a path for her juniors. With the help of the trainer there, she has metamorphosed into a perfect Medical Transcriptionist.

Today, she is capable of transcribing dictations of 15 doctors with 98% accuracy. Normally, atleast two years are required to reach this stage. But she has DONE IT in a span of about 5 months!

A million thanks to the trainer Mr. Ashraf, QA, LSI Info Tech who has moulded her. This would never happen without his efforts. The company had no prior knowledge about VIs, and no sensitization program had ever been conducted. Their courage and gesture too are highly commendable.

I had the privilege of watching this beautiful transformation in Pragathi. I always believe “NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE.” Pragathi has proved it. She has surpassed all limits. She is a perfect role model for MTVI. Three cheers to her.

MTVI is happening!

– Sujaya Ma’am

The term “visually impaired” is usually met with a perception of complete blindness. The common misconception is that such a person is at the mercy of other people because he/she cannot see anything. A stereotype image of a person with dark glasses and a cane persists.

However, there are different types of visual impairment. For example, a person with low vision can see objects, but only if they are large; details may not be easily identifiable.

Today, technology plays a great role in aiding the visually impaired in their day-to-day work. The computer is almost indispensable these days, and there are several tools that are available to help the visually impaired. Two examples are the magnifier, which allows the text on the computer to be
enlarged, and JAWS, which is a popular screen-reading software. All these and more help the visually
impaired to become trained and ready for employment.

There are several jobs that can be taken up by the visually impaired. These include, and are not restricted to, the following:

More than a hundred VI people have been placed in these types of jobs successfully. Any new kind of job is studied carefully, and “workplace solutions” using available tools and process modifications, are devised to ensure that the visually impaired are able to perform their functions in the best possible manner. Adequate training and preparation make the candidates job-ready.

Thus, visual impairment is neither a deterrent nor a stumbling block to both obtaining and retaining a job.

Placement is always a challenge. Most candidates register themselves with EnAble India, looking for jobs. Each story is unique, and several are heart-rending. This makes the staff at EnAble India all the more determined to ensure that a suitable job is obtained, that both the candidate and company are happy and satisfied enough to make the relationship a long-lasting one, and that it is a win-win situation for all concerned.

The challenges that EnAble India faces while placing a single candidate are many. Right from counselling the candidate, the family, and the company, understanding the job requirements, identifying workplace solutions, grooming and training the candidate, to post-placement counselling and hand-holding, the job is a tough one. But to the folks at EnAble India, nothing is impossible.

Take the case of Govindaraju. Totally blind, Govindaraju did not have a job for over ten years. Over forty, with a family to maintain, his need was urgent. Though his attitude was excellent, language was very good, and he was mature and capable, the main drawback was that he was computer illiterate. The post of a telephone operator was available at a company, and Govindaraju seemed the ideal candidate.
However, the place of work was too far. Travelling from Whitefield to Jayanagar 4th block every day was out of the question, since it took over 2 hours to travel one way. Govindaraju did try out the route once, but traffic conditions made it practically unfeasible. The company however, did not want to lose such a good candidate. It gave EnAble India time to work out a solution.

Thus began the challenge. Working from home was the first option, as a remote telephone operator. The company agreed to this, provided an Airtel landline connection existed, so that he could take calls from customers to answer their queries. EI spoke to Airtel; however, it was not possible to have the connection to Govindaraju’s house because it was located in a very interior area.

The search shifted to places close to his home. The first target was the Divine Light school for the blind. They were very willing to give the requisite work space, but the Airtel connection was not available.

The next was Shell at Brookefields. Shell already had a relationship with EnAble India, and this could help. Airtel connection was available, but Shell was unwilling to provide the workspace because of the obvious risks involved in having a totally blind person on the premises. However, EI convinced them to provide some space behind the bunk, and even gave Govindaraju an orientation around the area. Everything looked great, but unfortunately, there was no bus convenience at all for Govindaraju to reach the place. The solution was abandoned as it was impractical.

Shell at Varthur was examined next on the same day. The bus convenience was very good, but Airtel was not available.

Meanwhile, other people were being contacted as well. Things didn’t quite work out with a firm on Airport Road. Another place had everything required – the space, Airtel connection, bus convenience – but it was for ladies only, and they didn’t want any male on the premises.

All contacts were paged to see if any solution could be found. Volunteers were pursued to no avail. Old data was mined, memories were jogged, and finally through a series of wrong numbers, a very old contact was reached. He was running an NGO in the interior of Whitefield, and was most open to the idea of Govindaraju working on his premises. But – you guessed it right – bus services were not convenient, and Airtel connection was not available.

Café Coffee Day was tried, but the Airtel landline connection was not ok due to some technical problems. Shell near ITPL was perfect, but that bunk was closing down. Shell on Old Madras Road had convenient buses, Airtel connection was available, but there were some technical issues due to which they could not draw the cable through. Big Bazaar was given a shot, but that didn’t work out either.

By now, the Airtel folks had become good friends with the EI staff, even sending good morning and good night messages, and answering all their calls with ‘Where do you want the connection today?’! EI was getting rather frustrated, for no solution seemed to be in sight. It was rapidly approaching two months since the start, and the company was also getting impatient.

They decided to take a rather drastic approach. They decided to just roam the area close to Govindaraju’s house, and see if anything came up. A tailor in the locality was willing, but there was no space in his tiny shop. Another place offered turned out to be involved in rather dubious activities. The door-to-door search continued, a rather desperate feeling setting in. Was all this effort a total waste? Would it be a futile search?

Finally, a school for the mentally retarded was located. The school was closed because it was past 7pm. However, the phone numbers were taken, and the school contacted the next morning. The gentleman in charge was very co-operative and open to the whole setup. He asked for certain formalities to be completed such as a request letter, etc. Everything seemed perfect – it was convenient for Govindaraju to travel to and from this place, the Airtel connection was possible and tested, and they had even provided a separate room. A great sigh of relief went up. At last, a solution had been reached.

But wait! There were still some hiccups. Airtel wanted some documentation, which the company had to provide. So EI began following up with the company. Then came the shocker – Airtel would not provide the connection because the company had some outstanding bills! So now, EI was following up with the company to clear the bills.

The clouds all cleared one fine day, and the sun finally shone through. Everything fell into place and Govindaraju began working!

Over two months of effort to place a single candidate. That’s the kind of dedication the EI staff bring to the table. The challenges are indeed unique, and this is what makes their work so interesting. More power to them!

- Anitha Murthy

Haseena is 29 years old. Her lilting voice on the phone is interspersed with giggles as she tells us that she loves talking on her cell phone, since she doesn’t step out of the house often. She is a victim of acid attack – blind and disfigured.

It happened 10 years ago, and 35 surgeries later she says, “I have still not recovered.” There is no trace of bitterness as she optimistically adds, “Life seems like a question mark right now, but I am sure something will come up.”

She came to Enable India “ten years too late” (in her own words), but is so happy to have found a place where there is spontaneous friendship. She had to discontinue her mobility training as she developed severe eye infection and had to go to Hyderabad for yet another surgery. Even when her training was interrupted due to her infection, she took home some CDs and is learning English through them.

“I am better now, and am looking forward to going back to Enable India to join the computer training and learn about the new technologies for the visually impaired. Besides I just love being there as it is fun and am constantly learning something.”

Haseena was an independent working girl at 19 years of age when tragedy struck. The shock and trauma of such a heinous act has left only physical scars. She says, “I cry only when there is too much physical pain, I don’t cry for emotional pain.”

Though the incident took its toll in her personal life, as she was abandoned and ostracized by friends and relatives, she says that many new people came into her life to love and support her when they saw how she was battling for life. People from across the country called her, and 10 years later many remain good friends. It is this human spirit that gives Haseena hope and courage.

For Haseena, there is a new tomorrow everyday as she believes “there is a lot of love” in the world. She believes in the world she lives in, and more important, she believes in herself!

- Anju Khemani

Hi I am Prabal. I am a simple, shy and friendly person.

I come from a renowned family, consisting of four sons. I have no sisters. I grew up in Delhi and completed my education over there. I have worked in a BPO in Noida briefly.

When I entered Enable India, last year, I had some doubts about myself and my abilities. Enable India helped me to think in a different way. Gradually my inhibitions were removed and I found that there is another side to me. My daily interactions with my new friends, helped me in feeling relaxed, positive and more sensitive to those who have different abilities. In this journey, I slipped up occasionally, but with the help of the faculty at Enable India, I could recover again. The exposure that I had while doing my projects helped me in facing the world with more assurance and confidence.

My message to my new friends -
I know that you will be feeling nervous when you begin your course. It is also possible that some, among you will be thinking whether you have come to the right place! However if you can manage to go through the daily activities with concentration and enthusiasm, there is every reason that you will find a new person hiding within you, just waiting to come out. I wish you the very best in your careers.

Thank you Prabal Choudhury, for that wonderful message. EnAble India wishes you all the best too!

Shanti Raghavan, founder of EnAble India, speaking at NASSCOM 2007, gives very simple and lucid examples of Workplace Solutions – innovations that open doors in more ways than one – and how it adds value to the company.

[This is a video posted on YouTube, and you will need your speakers on. A transcript follows]

TRANSCRIPT:

Now just to give you an example of what a workplace solution is – I’m using a non-IT example because it drives the point home.

Customer service attendant at Shell. He has to talk to customers, and provide service like filling petrol.

Now, can this be done by a hearing impaired person? Is this a job opportunity?

Well, if you think a little differently, that his goal is to communicate, not to talk necessarily, then the answer is simple. What we have, we’ve designed with the help of Shell, we’ve designed a wipable communication board which the hearing impaired person has. He has this thing which says Hi, I’m hearing impaired, and he has this board, and the board is very simple. All you do is you tick: I want petrol, these many rupees and you tick Credit Card or whatever. It’s efficient, and you and the hearing impaired person have communicated to each other.

That’s a workplace solution, and it’s this powerful. And see the innovation, but so simple.

And what’s the result? Shell has therefore more candidates it can choose from, and there are more job opportunities, now, for the hearing impaired, which didn’t exist before. And because of this, we’ve been able to scale with Shell. We’ve gone to Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, and in fact, I’m doing it right now, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, and it’s growing. So that is how powerful it can be, just with one solution, this is what we can achieve.

I’ll give you, very quickly, an IT example, ITES example actually.

A technical helpdesk person is a co-ordinator, who takes information saying that – Oh you have a problem with your computer, you have a problem with your Citrix, notes it down in a Web-tracker or something, a mechanism like that, and then does a follow-up and co-ordination.

Now is this a job that can be done by the visually impaired?

Well, they have to “see” the computer. Or is the goal that he should “use” the computer? If the answer is Yes, use the computer, then there is accessible technology. We just need the workplace solution on how it can be done differently. There are screen-readers for the blind, which allow the computer, in very simple terms, to be a talking computer. So he or she can use the computer just like you or me. Add to that, the fact that he has to talk to the customer and he has to listen to the computer… Very simple; what we did was, we actually provided him with a hands-free headset. In one ear, he’s hearing the customer’s voice, in the other he’s hearing the computer voice, and he can shut the computer voice at any time. So here’s a solution that he has.

Is this all that’s required?

We said the second thing was that he requires a barrier-free environment. So what is a barrier? During training, he needs accessible training material. If there’s a Powerpoint presentation, and he doesn’t have access to it, what do we do? So we have different ideas for that. We could have given it to him in Braille, we could have given a scanner and an Optical Character Recognizer and he could read it, or we could just give it to him in soft copy, and he can use the talking computer and listen to the material.

And what we chose, in this case at least, was the soft copy – it was the easiest. So now he has less barriers in his environment.

The last was – during his working, he needs to use the Web-tracker and that should be accessible for him.

[interruption]

So, to have a web-tracker which is accessible, we have some people from Accessibility here, they will tell you that if there are graphics which are labelled, they are not accessible for a screen-reader. So that is all we needed to do, we needed to make sure the Web-tracker is accessible, and what you have is less barriers. So here again is a job opportunity that has actually materialized, for a visually impaired person.

I’m not going to go into this case study – I thought Jerry was going to be here, so I actually had a case study on Mphasis, on how we’re working with them and in the IT department, in their shared services ITES, we are already working with them, and there are many other things in the pipeline.

So the debate is about whether it is CSR policy or economic principle. I think the answer lies somewhere in the middle, but I’ll just share my thoughts with you.

When you first become open to disability, I think you’re somewhere at the CSR policy level. When you start doing a focused hiring on disability, and you start getting some candidates – at least you had more candidates than before, so definitely you are seeing value there. When you start doing workplace modifications, the solution is feasible and you agree with it, and so you are open to more disabilities, then, I think it becomes more economically viable. And as your workforce steadily has more people, percentage of people with disability, it makes sense. The model that we are seeing, when we collaborate closely with companies – do all these workplace solutions and barrier free environments, and we spread to multiple locations, companies are really seeing a value. And a lot of companies I showed in the slide earlier, they are seeing benefits because of these collaborations.

I’ll leave you with the last point.

Maybe it’s Utopia, but the fact is that you help to create a bigger pool of tomorrow’s candidates, who know that oh, there are companies out there who will take me if I have the right skills. More importantly, because you have started getting inclusive, your products get inclusive. For example, there could be a bank with an ATM and now you’ve built a ramp and they have the ATM as a talking ATM and that’s helping a person who’s blind, who can actually use the ATM. So now here you have one more consumer, who’s using your product, but more importantly, there’s a multiple benefit. The person who’s old also needs ramps these days. The person who’s illiterate – nowadays I see a lot of garment workers going to the ATM and they have to use it, and they are illiterate – so suddenly your inclusive product is also helping somebody whom you didn’t think it would help.

So I think the answer lies somewhere in the middle, but maybe Utopia can also be reached.

Thank you.