Here is the link of newsletter – Jan 2020
Newsletter Highlights
1. Enablement: VOSAP distributed 178 Assistive Devices to Enable SAP from tribal, rural India
2. Capacity Building: VOSAP signed MoU with GTU (Gujarat Tech Uni.) to start courses on disability
3. Community Connect: VOSAP presents during Annual conference of Rotary International (#3054)
4. Govt. Connect: VOSAP’s 2 hours session for IAS/IFS/IRS etc. senior leaders of Govt of India at IIPA
5. Youth Connect: VOSAP and Edu Minister talks to students of 30,000 schools via satellite on disability
6. Innovation: VOSAP launched Innovation Challenge in Assistive Tech with SSIP at L.D. College of Eng.
7. Corporate Connect: VOSAP talks to business community (GCCI) on “Opportunities in Assistive Tech.”
9,700+ building entrances rated for accessibility in VOSAP App!
VOSAP Charter: Advocacy, Accessibility and Assisitve Devices to Drive “Disproportionate” Impact.
Hope that year 2020 has started well for all of you. The new decade that started has huge potential to achieve dream of Inclusive society for Specially Abled People. Each one of us has many opportunities to promote and practice. 1 BN+ people are awaiting to improve their life based on collective efforts of all of us.
In last 3 months, VOSAP volunteers worked on our 3 charters. (a) Several Advocacy initiatives with youth, communities, Govt, Corporate and UN (b) Ongoing Enablement events with Assistive Devices for beneficiaries of tribal, rural Gujarat and (c) Addition of 3,000+ accessibility rating of building entrances in VOSAP app.
A. Session at IIPA (Indian Institute of Public Administration):
Vijay Rai ji, successful corporate leader, CEO of an MNC is volunteer of Voice of SAP. He organized multiple advocacy events with Management students in Delhi. He also organized 2 hours session on Dec 4 2019 at Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) and with media, corporate leaders. IIPA was established in 1954 to provide leadership skills, training to our Govt officers from Civil services. 2 hours session to present VOSAP Point of View inspired all 46 students (IAS/IFS/IRS etc.) with their standing ovation, comments and hugs. These bureaucrats are future Chief Secretary level leaders. VOSAP will stay engaged with IIPA to conduct such sessions. Here is the link with details.
B. Session at Rotary International (District 3054) annual Conference: Ashishbhai Desai, who is Dean of Nirma University and Head of Corporate Affairs at Nirma Limited supported VOSAP mission by organizing 30 minutes session for VOSAP during annual conference of Rotary International (district 3054). This Advocacy event organized on Dec 21 2020, allowed us to inspire several past District Governors and hundreds of Rotarian to Employ Divyangjan, upgrade their offices with accessibility and enable SAP with Assistive Devices. VOSAP is already engaged in the US with several clubs and discussed launching program to upgrade thousands of schools with accessible toilet, ramp etc. Here is the link with details.
C. Seminar at GCCI (Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industries): On Dec 16 2019, Navrozbhai and Amitbhai – 2 VOSAPians, volunteers who are also office bearers in GCCI this year, organized VOSAP seminar for
business community to learn opportunities in Assistive Devices. President of GCCI Shri Durgeshbhai is also VOSAP supporter and to maximize outreach, Ashishbhai Desai joined GCCI by bringing RI District 3054 as partner for this event. This seminar provided information about trading, manufacturing opportunities of over 3,000 assistive devices available in the US. India can be the global hub of AT products with innovation on design and large scale production.
D. Advocacy with Education system of Gujarat: VOSAP volunteers in the US has exposure and experience as what courses are offered in Assistive Technology area, Accessibility audit etc. and VOSAP will like to help GTU (Gujarat Technology University) who represents 450 colleges of Gujarat in coming up suitable courses in this area. MoU was signed between GTU, LD Engineering college and VOSAP on Dec 16 2019.
On Dec 9, 2019, VOSAP team met with Nirma University Dean, Director General and all Head of Institutions to discuss how students of each institutions can find suitable career opportunities.
Hon Education Minister of Gujarat took deep interest and supported in multiple ways including jointly addressing students of entire state along with MoS and VOSAP founder Pranav Desai and other officers of Govt of Gujarat on Dec 3 2019 – International Disability Day. Message was to educate student on basics of disability and promote accessibility of every school. for more details, please click this link.
E. Advocacy to promote Innovation in Assistive Devices:
VOSAP team worked with Principal of L. D. College of Engineering, Dr Rajulben Gajjar and team to develop InCA Tech (Innovation Challenge in Assistive Tech) which was launched on Dec 13 2019 in presence of Technical Director of Govt of Gujarat Dr Pandya and SSIP (Student Startup and Innovation Policy) head Shri Hiranmay ji. Under this program, students will be supported financially for developing product, prototype in Assistive Technology.
VOSAP encourages ALL readers to be inspired to organize such high impact Advocacy events.
2. Enablement Camps with Assistive Devices:
A. Dec 7 2019 at Palanpur: 95 Assistive devices were provided to 84 Divyangjan (Specially Abled People). Collector Shri Sandeep Sagle ji was Chief Guest. BPA, partner NGO of VOSAP organized this event at Lions Hospital in Palanpur. Beneficiaries were from the rural, tribal area. The experience of observing the reaction when a child puts in 2 digital hearing aids, 1 in each ear – simply amazing. Smile of these beneficiaries, aspirations of these students were extremely inspiring to VOSAP volunteers. VOSAP thanks BPA and Lions Hospital for their support.
B. Jan 9 2020 at Surat: 48 daisy players/Samsung smart phones were given to visually impaired students of Dang district. VOSAP donor Shri Kiritbhai Gajera and Nilamben Gajera were Chief Guests. They talked to these students and experience was overwhelming in their words. Andhjan Shikshan Mandal (ASM), Surat hosted the event. Shri Anandbhai Chokhawala of ASM took great care of these beneficiaries and hosted VOSAP donor and other team members (Shri Nitinbhai Oza, Kunj Patel, Shri Ashokbhai Gosalia and others).
Here is the link of details of these 2 events.
C. Jan 24 2020 at Vadodara: 35 visually impaired students of rural Vadodara, resident of Lions Blind School were given Samsung smart phones and Daisy player (Angel E10, E5 models). This event was organized at Kalyanraiji Haveli and P. P. Dwarkeshlalji was Chief Guest who distributed these devices to these 35 girl students. Dr Divyangbhai Patel, VOSAP donor and volunteer from San Jose was Guest of Honor for this event.
Here is the link of the details of this event.
3. Accessibility:
A. Accessible School: VOSAP volunteers inspired Principal of R C Patel school in Ahmedabad, Gujarat to provide accessible toilet and proper ramp to the school. Every VOSAPian can do this as it works and has permanent impact! Virgina chapter leader Vaibhavi Kamdar took this initiative and then was supported by Dr Bhavesh Parekh and Ashish Deliwala, locally to achieve this goal within 3 months of time. Principal Shri Rajendrabhai Patel organized an event to inaugurate this facility and spread awareness by inviting alumni students, teachers and hundreds of students.
B. VOSAP app: It added 3,000+ more records in last 3 months, data with access rating of building entrance. Collector office of Ahmedabad has started using this data as basis to plan and execute retrofitting of inaccessible Govt buildings. With overall ~10,000 building entrance being rated for accessibility, VOSAP app is emerging as a Public Utility App in Ahmedabad.
–> All readers of this newsletter are requested to work on such high impact tasks. If questions or suggestions, please reply back, write to us at!
