| Special Note: Voice of SAP received NGO Accreditation to the UN COSP to the CRPD on June 12 2018
Dear VOSAPians,
With collective efforts and the impact of our volunteers, our model and execution strategies supported by VOSAP mobile app, Voice of SAP is now one of approx 350 NGOs working in the disability sector, accredited to the UN COSP (Conference of State Parties) to the CRPD (Convention of Rights of Persons with Disabilities).
Congratulations to all the volunteers and everyone supporting our vision and mission. This is a major milestone in a very long journey that we have started to Empower millions of Persons with Disabilities.
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Key Activities in last 2 months:
1. UN Connect: On June 14, Voice of SAP presented at side event during 3 days long, annual 11th COSP (Conference of State Parties) to the CRPD attended by 177 member states of United Nations. The topic was “Individual Social Responsibility (ISR) to create Inclusive world for PwD, enabled by VOSAP mobile app”.We thank Permanent Mission of India at UN, who supported us at every step in making this a great success, helping member states to learn more about VOSAP mobile app and its India model with several examples of prototypes executed. Voice of SAP is highly thankful to Ms Shakuntala Gamlin, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of PwD, MSJE, Govt of India who also presented during this side event, presenting key initiatives that Govt. of India has taken in recent years to Empower PwD. VOSAP also thanks media friends in the US and India to cover details of this event.
Dy Minister of Tanzania took keen interest in VOSAP mobile app and requested for helping people of Tanzania by converting VOSAP mobile app in Swahili language. WHO and ILO leaders like Chapal Khasnabis and Ms Faustina Mukazi also took deep interest in understanding far reaching impact of VOSAP mobile app.
Voice of SAP is looking forward to play important role in accelerating implementation of UN CRPD goals.
2. Government Connect: On May 22 2018, VOSAP team was met with Ambassador of India to Japan H.E. Shri Sujan Chinoy in Tokyo to discuss initiatives to potentially revive JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) program to fund disability sector projects in India. There are hundreds of Japanese MNCs working in India and programatic opportunites of employing PwD, skilling them, allocating CSR money to disability sector projects and providing access per “Accessible India Campaign” etc. were also discussed.
In Los Angeles, during a community event, local team of VOSAP met with Consulate General of India at San Francisco, Shri Ashok Kumar. They discussed options to reach out to NRI community and leaders to support “Accessible India Campaign”, initiative of Govt. of India by adopting 1 building to upgrade with ramp etc.
3. Corporate Connect: On May 23 2018, NTT DATA Corporation, Japan (one of top 10 IT services companies in the world), awarded founder of Voice of SAP, Pranav Desai for the SOCIAL IMPACT of Empowering Specially Abled People. This award is highly important. It gave opportunity to inspire top management, executives in Tokyo for Voice of SAP mission and it has far reaching potential impact as several executives including Representative Director of the Board at NTT DATA Corporation and others. They are now considering ways in which they can take initiatives at NTT to help empower PwD.
4. Youth Connect: Voice of SAP was invited to conduct orientation session for 2018 batch of Master degree students at Institute of Sciences, Nirma University. Inspired by tremendous response of youth, VOSAP’s Ahmedabad team is working on launching an Essay competition wherein youth can articulate their dream of accessible city, their dream of inclusive society as how it could be in next 10 years and what youth will do to achieve that dream. This is a VOSAP initiative with partner organization BPA (Blind People’s Association) for next 5 months to promote awareness and youth engagement on inclusion of PwD.
5. Community Connect: As part of ongoing efforts to spread awareness among local communities, VOSAP team of Los Angeles, USA has decided to organize a show of Padma Shri artist Shri Shekhar Sen, performing character of “Soordas”, visually impaired devotional poet, singer of 16th century, Lord Krishna devotee. This event is intended to spread mass awareness of Voice of SAP mission among thousands of Indians living in Los Angeles, Southern California and inspire them to take volunteer pledge with VOSAP app, start doing what they can to Empower PwD. |
