Voice of Specially Abled People Inc. (VOSAP) is a global advocacy and enablement organization with 11,000+ registered volunteers. The non-profit is dedicated to promoting the Inclusion, Accessibility, and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PwD), accelerating the implementation of UNCRPD goals and UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). VOSAP’s headquarter is in Los Angeles, California, and its initiatives, volunteers, partners and resources have directly helped 15,000+ Persons with Disabilities in the US and India.
Voice of SAP’s contribution to work of United Nations:
- Digital Tools for Advocacy: VOSAP has developed a web platform and three digital tools to raise awareness for issues faced by and solutions available for Persons with Disabilities. These tools include a mobile app for accessibility advocacy, a digital art gallery promoting inclusion, and a virtual 3D exhibition of assistive technology (AT) products.
- Policy Research for Advocacy: VOSAP has created a global community of 11,500+ volunteers to engage and work together to empower Persons with Disabilities. Under the VOSAP Research Internship (started in Summer 2020), 20+ research projects in the disability sector were undertaken to analyze data from sources such as the US census, WHO, UNICEF etc. to strengthen the advocacy.
- Enablement for Education: VOSAP provides scholarships and assistive devices like smartphones, laptops, daisy player and app subscriptions. The organization works with schools and students with disabilities in 12 states of India and California.
- Enablement for Self-Employment: VOSAP provides self-employment opportunities with laptops, sewing machines, beauty parlor kits, and mobility devices
- Accelerate Adoption of Assistive Device: VOSAP launched a virtual Assistive Technology Exhibition with 31 exhibitors from around the world, providing subsidies to make these products affordable. VOSAP has engaged 500+ youth to innovate products to help Persons with Disabilities and allocated $1 Million to support AT innovators and startups.
Voice of SAP has undertaken various Initiatives in achieving the following UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals):
- No Poverty (SDG 1).
- Good Health and Well-Being (SDG 3)
- Quality Education (SDG 4)
- Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8)
- Industry, Innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9)
- Reduce inequalities (SDG 10)
| SDG | Title | Initiative Undertaken by VOSAP |
| SDG 1 | No poverty | Undertaking various initiatives under SDGs 4 and 8 which would overall achieve goals of SDG 1 |
| SDG 3 | Good Health and Well-Being | Provided 6,500+ poor PwD with grocery, food, personal hygiene kits in India and organized vaccination camps |
| SDG 4 | Quality Education | Focusing on
inclusive education, provided assistive devices to students with disabilities, motivated schools to make accessible facilities, and launched a scholarship program |
| SDG 8 | Decent Work and Economic Growth | Enabled PwD with assistive devices and self- employment kits, launched a job portal, and provided a market access to artists with disabilities for decent earnings |
| SDG 9 | Industry, Innovation and infrastructure | Promoted Assistive Technology innovation, advocated export opportunities in the AT sector with the Government
of India, and launched a $1 Million AT Acceleration Fund. |
| SDG 10 | Reduce Inequalities | Advocacy with governments, corporations, communities to provide equal opportunity, access to public places, access to education to reduce inequalities |
