Jul – Aug’22 VOSAP Impact Newsletter

By Niyati Shah on September 07, 2022

JULY – AUG ’22 VOSAP Impact

Summary updates of Voice of SAP, social impact in July – August 2022

Newsletter Highlights

VOSAP celebrated “Aazadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”, raised $721K
VOSAP Expands its Mission to NorthEast India, state of Meghalaya
Enablement of blind students with Smartcanes in Hyderabad
VOSAP Research Internship 2022 completed by college students
US Congressman Brad Sherman was presented disability research work
8 Highschoolers recommended for Presidential volunteer service award
3 AT Exhibitors Added to VOSAP Assistive Technology Exhibition
VOSAP to receive 100% Royalty for “Eternal Flames of Freedom” book

Dear Friends,

We are pleased to share VOSAP impact with Advocacy and Enablement in July and August 2022.

VOSAP celebrated “Aazadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”, 75 years of India’s Independence with Donor Community, raised $721k to enable 7500 SAP

Voice of SAP celebrated Aazadi ka Amrit Mahotsav on August 6,2022 in Los Angeles, California with Donor Community. VOSAP Executive Team, Volunteers and Donors Community joined the event.

VOSAP Founder, Mr. Pranav Desai presented VOSAP’s Journey, and Impact – from 250 SAP receiving Assistive Devices in 2018 to 13,000 till date under various VOSAP initiatives. He also explained how digital tools and technology is helping scale up impact to empower Volunteers as well as SAP.

He expressed the goal to enable 7500 Specially Abled People, in next one year as a token of contribution to jumpstart “Aazadi ka Amrit Kaal”, realize dream of DEVELOPED INDIA by 2047. VOSAP donors responded very generously to support this goal and announced their pledges after the presentation.

VOSAP Team Members and Volunteers shared their experiences of being a VOSAPian and how this mission has inspired them. VOSAP Donors also shared their experiences, perspectives and their motivation to be a part of this mission and giving back to society.

With generous donations of our Donors, VOSAP has raised $721,000 to enable Specially Abled People and to change their life and make them Independent. We are very grateful to our empathetic Donors.

Glimpse of the event : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-D91RJKr_o&t=1s

2.VOSAP Expands its Mission to NorthEast India. VOSAP Team met with Meghalaya Government and local NGOs

Voice of SAP is currently present in 10 Indian States and is expanding to many more states to help SAP. VOSAP Pledged to enable 7500 SAP and to meet this goal, VOSAP has been working relentlessly to add reputed organizations.

VOSAP Founder presented the mission to Meghalaya Government officers such as Department of Education, Disability Affairs, and Deputy Commissioner of Disability, NGOs such as Bethany Society to expand its activities and impact in North Eastern India. We thank our volunteer Dr Uttam Ojha to connect with Bethany Society and our partner Dr Anil Shah of Los Angeles, Head of SVM (Smart Village Movement) for organizing this event.

3. Enablement of Visually Impaired Students with Smartcanes at Devnar School for the Blind, Hyderabad

On August 27, Voice of SAP enabled 50 (out of 200 in 3 phases) Visually Impaired students of Devnar School for the Blind, Hyderabad with Smartcane ‘Saarthi’, by our Exhibitor Torch-it.

Prof D. Ravinder, Vice Chancellor of Osmania University Hyderabad joined the event as Chief Guest and Dr. Saibaba Goud, Founder, Devnar School were also present during the event. The event was attended by compassionate VOSAP Volunteers of Hyderabad, who recommended this school.

VOSAP Founder and Volunteers from India and USA joined the event, Virtually. It brings us immense joy, warmth and satisfaction to see smiling faces of the Children, communicating with them and learning about their Aspirations in Life. We are thankful to our Volunteers who talked to these students, built relations with them.

4. VOSAP Research Internship 2022 completed by College Students

VOSAP Research Internship program (VRI2022) for College Students that started its third batch in June 2022, has been successfully completed. This incredible opportunity gives students of Public Policy, Technology, STEM, Journalism – the ability to conduct impactful research while simultaneously obtaining skills lucrative and applicable to any career pathway.

This year VOSAP Research Internship witnessed participation of students from Bahrain, Nigeria and the US and have completed 3 months extensive Research on Employment in Disability Sector and Impact of Rehabilitation Programs.

We thank VOSAP Collegiate leadership team Manushri Desai, Iris Wu and Dr Harsha Deodhar.

We congratulate Manushri Desai, role model for many who started VOSAP Collegiate in 2020 has now joined Department of Justice, US, in Washington DC as full time employee to continue helping Specially Abled People in a much more powerful position. We are proud of our young leaders and their success!!!

5. VOSAP Team met with US Congressman Brad Sherman during Independence Day celebration in Los Angeles

During Independence Day celebration in Los Angeles on August 27, VOSAP Founder and team met with US Congressman Brad Sherman. Mr. Desai shared VOSAP Impact of Assistive devices and VOSAP research Internship Program with 25+ Research in the US disability sector which caught his attention. He will like his Legislative Assistant to follow up wiht us to find legislative opportunities per research data, findings.

We are thankful to Sandeepbhai, Maheshbhai, Vikrambhai, Jesalbhai and Eva for their volunteering at VOSAP Booth.

VOSAP team has started its booth presence in several locations, events like TEDx, Dallas, TiE Southern CA etc.

6. VOSAP Ignite for Highschoolers completes 9 months Intensive Volunteering Program with First Batch of 26 students. New batch to start on October 1st.

VOSAP Ignite Program for highschoolers that started 9 months ago has concluded with its first batch.

The students of first batch have successfully finished over 1,200+ hours of Volunteering and have contributed to VOSAP mission by Rating of public building, writing articles, building relations with SAP students in school, organizing Debate Competitions, undertaking projects like NFT creation for VOSAP Artwork, conducting Fundraiser, taking this mission to their school and community and a lot more. 5 students have volunteered for 100+ hour each and are also eligible candidates for receiving Presidential Volunteering Service Award.

VOSAP is nurturing young minds with sense of ‘Individual Social Responsibility’ and is promoting empathy and sensitivity among them. This young students are leaders of tomorrow and it has been a satisfactory joy ride knowing this smart students and their abilities, innovative minds and their aspirations to create a better world for SAP. The new Batch of VOSAP Ignite will start from October 1, 2022.

7. VOSAP has on boarded 3 New AT Innovators on Assistive Technology Exhibition Platform.

VOSAP Assistive Technology exhibition has 3 new Exhibitors from India. WeHear, Social Hardware and AudiVision

WeHear is Ahmedabad based hearing care company originated with the aim of developing the most effective and economical hearing solutions. It manufactures innovative Hearing Aid based on bone conduction of audio signals and you basically don’t need your physical ear to hear with WeHear OX. It also comes with the WeHear OX mobile app which gives you a complete hearing care package and loaded with some useful features. It also holds 3 Patents.

Social Hardware is a Bangalore based Hardware-Tech company making assistive technology products like Smart user-repairable prosthetics with increased affordability and are offering services leveraging deep-tech. Started in 2017, Social Hardware develops smart user-repairable prosthetics with lowered cost to serve the underserved SAPs through partnerships with non-profits.

AudiVision is Mumbai based research startup founded in 2022 and has launched an Artificial intelligence based app to help visually impaired navigate and perform day-to-day tasks. Visually impaired users will be able to identify products or shops, detect product’s expiration date, locate specifics like exit door or men/women toilet at malls, detect if person is wearing mask or location is crowded and much more.

Check out their Booth by visiting Assistive Technology Exhibition on events.voiceofsap.org

8. VOSAP Congratulates Sridhar Krish for writing the book “Eternal Flames of Freedom” and generously donating 100% Royalty to Voice of SAP

VOSAP Executive Team member, Sridhar and author of the book ‘Eternal Flames of Freedom’ has donated 100% Book royalty to Voice of SAP. This book talks about unsung freedom fighters, their sacrifices for the nation. This book is truly reminding us all for our duties to realize dreams in Independent India.

Read this book at https://amzn.eu/d/hd17MEt or gift it to young generations who will be inspired to contribute to “Developed India by 2047”, in this “Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal” that started on Aug 15 2022