| Dear VoSAPians,
Voice of SAP wishes you all Happy Dec 3, International Day for Persons with Disabilities. With growing awareness, acceptance to mainstream Specially Abled People (SAP), need to act for creating accessible and inclusive world is now embraced by much larger population, leaders and corporations as evident with the celebrations, events on Dec 3.
This issue of newsletter is for 3 months hence it has lot of updates so request you to go through it and provide your valuable feedback to improve and meet your expectations.
Highlights:
As part of the strategy, Voice of SAP is investing into building technology infrastructure that can empower thousands of VoSAPians, scale up activities globally to create impact with speed. Voice of SAP mobile app (VOSAP) is first such innovative solution. The app also allows individuals to take pledge – taking inclusive action. Happy to inform that several top level corporate executives, political leaders (MP etc.) and Govt. of India officers (Secretary, IAS etc.) took VOSAP pledge. Each one of you should also take pledge inVOSAP mobile app and do needful.
With help of VOSAP app, now focus is on corporate sector sensitization, adoption of VoSAP program that focuses on ISR (Individual Social Responsibility) led CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). Discussions on modalities of this initiative are going on with 10+ companies. Highly encouraging commitments (Hiring 100 Divyang jan, making all offices accessible etc.) and overall response by Chairman, MD, CEO, Partners and other corporate leaders of India’s leading companies such as Arvind, Adani, Tikona Wireless, Infostretch, Harsha Engineering, Embassy Group etc.
Voice of SAP family of volunteers is also growing with latest additions of VoSAP chapters in last 3 months –London (UK), New Jersey (US) and Dallas (US). It brings in tremendous thought leadership, ideas with actions by these passionate VoSAPians. NRI strength is unique and VoSAP is bringing them together for collective efforts in social transformation of Empowering Specially Abled People with accessibility, education and employment.
Voice of SAP extends sincere thanks to Times of India group, Doordarshan (pan India TV channel), Jain TV, TV Asia, AIR (All India Radio), B4U (UK), Fun Asia Radio (Dallas) for their commitment to disability sector by conducting interviews, panel discussions and covering story of Voice of SAP mission. All the media coverage links are on our website.
Voice of SAP is a tax exempt US non profit organization (501 c3) and can accept donations. We are extremely thankful to all of our donors and specially Tarsadia Foundation of Shri B.U.Patel. This will accelerate our technology platform development work.
Key activities in last 3 months:
November 16 and 17, 2017; New Delhi, India: Pranav Desai met with officers in PM Office of India to update on the progress made in last year and future focus areas of VoSAP. Discussed how Accessible India Campaign (AIC) will be strengthened with help of VOSAP mobile app and strategies under execution by Voice of SAP. Subsequent meetings happened with Secretary, Joint Secretary and AIC team of Department of Empowerment of PwD, Govt. of India to discuss next steps. Excellent support and immediate actions were taken by Secretary Ms Shakuntala Gamlin. VoSAP is very hopeful and looking forward to work closely under newly appointed Secretary, Shakuntala ji’s leadership to accelerate implementation of AIC.
November 15 2017; New Delhi, India: Met with H’ble Cabinet Minister of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment – Shri Gehlot ji and his team. Met with H’ble Member of Parliament Mrs. Meenakshi Lekhi ji to discuss how to accelerate AIC. She took VOSAP pledge and inspired her 1.6 MN followers on Twitter. Met with Tikona Wireless management team (CEO, COO, HoD) in Noida to present VoSAP corporate program, speech by CEO and COO to set direction for the ISR (employees) and they launched program to hire 100 Divyang jan.
November 8 2017; Ahmedabad, India: Pranav Desai addressed at GCCI (Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industries) on “Capitalism with Compassion“. 175+ corporate leaders attended this event which resulted into 5 follow up meetings with Chairman, MD and CEOs of Arvind, Adani Foundation, Harsha Engineering, Infostretch and Waghbakri Tea.
November 11 and 12 2017; Bangalore, India: Pranav Desai addressed at IIS (India Inclusion Summit). This event was attended by over 700 corporate leaders (SAP, Teksystem, ANZ Greendlays etc.). Tom Harkin, Ex US senator who introduced ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) in the US senate, was a speaker at this summit. Senator Harkin appreciated VoSAP vision and execution strategy and they both agreed to meet in the US to explore joint possibilities.
November 10 2017; Vadodara, India: Pranav Desai met with spiritual leader H. H. Dwarkeshlalji Maharaj. Meeting lasted for 1.5 hours and they discussed 4 initiatives to Empower Divyang jan. VoSAP mission and Pranav Desai were blessed with divine energy by JejeShri which is immensely important and enabler for this large divine mission.
November 24 2017; New Delhi, India: Pranav Desai gave keynote speech at National Human Resource Development network – NHRDN on “Employee Engagement 3.0” by adopting VOSAP mobile app, creating change makers in communities by enabling of employees engagement to create inclusive work culture, inspired workforce.
November 23 2017; Ahmedabad, India: Pranav Desai met with Chairman and Managing Director of Arvind group, Shri Sanjay Lalbhai along with CSR head Shri Neeraj Lal. Shri Sanjaybhai discussed to implement specifics of VOSAP program and also took initiative to take this program to other leading corporate leaders that he knows at personal level. Voice of SAP highly appreciates such compassionate leadership.
November 20 2017; Ahmedabad, India: Pranav Desai met with Chairman of Adani Foundation, Dr Priti Adani along with CSR head Ms Sushma Oza. Deep interest was taken by Dr Adani in understanding VoSAP vision, mobile app and 10 CSR projects for its transformation impact to lives of millions. Adani CSR projects will include disability related provisions, moving forward. Plus excellent opportunity for large scale resource commitment in the disability sector.
November 22 2017; Ahmedabad, India: Pranav Desai attended launch of Gujarat’s first Accessible Cab Service. This will now provide point to point access to seniors, wheel chair bound people. Great initiative of Harish Kumar.
November 10 2017; Vadodara, India: Pranav Desai visited “Spandan”, 40 years old institute that provides accommodation, skill development and employment also to People with learning disabilities. Highly dedicated trustees and founders like Shri Arvindbhai Shah who have Empowered thousands of such Divyang jan.
December 3 2017; Sacramento, US: VoSAP chapter leader Mona Shah from San Jose, US ran full marathon to spread awareness of Voice of SAP mission and also raised US$ 2,000.
We are always looking forward to your inputs, suggestions and active support to transform the disability sector together, creating inclusive society. |
