insights Volunteering and helping the ABLE network

The ABLE network, in collaboration with CSR, launched its pilot initiative dubbed "Aastha" in an effort to cap the year with a significant event. Over 250 children, including those with impairments, are served by an organisation known as the Association of People with Disabilities (APD), which conducts its operations out of Shradhanjali Integrated Primary School. 

In order to prepare people who are transitioning with impairments for life after school, the school also has a rehabilitation centre.

Volunteering and giving back

Since it was a pilot programme, there were concerns about how to effectively assist the children and their support workers. But the goal was straightforward: to volunteer and give. However, the event served as a learning and experiential opportunity for what it is like to walk in their shoes.

Storytelling, music and dancing, art & craft, and other activities were also conducted. One can become aware of how frequently we undercut ourselves and our talents while having access to sufficient resources during the course of these tasks. Also during the day, the children could be seen assisting one another in finishing their pieces of art after finishing their own.

Changing perspectives

The support staff deserve a lot of credit for providing assistance wherever it was needed, including interpreting for volunteers and students who had communication issues because the school housed 19 different students with disabilities. This caused a change in perspective because, in our competitive nature, success constantly depends on being better than the competition. This made it easier to see that, while differences matter, we can all grow together.

Join us and help give back to local communities

We are hoping that the coming year will encourage more people to take up such eye-opening opportunities and advance the cause of giving, education, and perspective change!

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