Takeaways from the Twitter Chat with Dhruv Lakra, Founder of Mirakle Couriers

Mirakle Couriers is a Mumbai-based social enterprise that provides underprivileged deaf adults with meaningful employment in the logistics industry. Founder Dhruv Lakra started his career as an investment banker and shifted to the social sector thereafter. Since then, he has helped a lot of social organizations scale impact through their programs, and strategic planning. He has received numerous awards for his innovative work with the deaf. Dhruv's organization Mirakle Couriers is enabling the deaf in becoming independent and self sufficient. He was also the Grand Finalist in Spark the Rise 2011.

Deaf Empowerment

It is estimated that 6% of India’s population suffers from some kind of hearing loss. 32% suffer from profound deafness and 39% suffer from severe hearing loss, resulting in one of the largest deaf populations in the world. Poor education coupled with discrimination leave a staggering 66% of the deaf unemployed.

Unable to support themselves or to become productive members of their households and society, they are entirely dependent on their families. As a result of this, a deaf child or relative is often considered a burden, even a curse, and becomes heavily resented by their already financially-strained relatives.

Mirakle Couriers aims to address this situation by providing deaf adults with steady, meaningful, dignified employment, thus empowering them to become self-sufficient, able to participate confidently and independently in society. (Find the complete Article here)

Earlier this week, Mahindra Rise organized a twitter chat around the subject of raising funds while developing a social enterprise and some interesting outputs came. Here is a storified version of the Twitter Chat:

[<a href="http://storify.com/MahindraRise/sparktherise-leader-series-twitter-chat-with-dhru" target="_blank">View the story "#SparktheRise Leader Series - Twitter chat with Dhruv Lakra" on Storify</a>][Submit your idea for SparkTheRise if you're looking for support to make your dream a reality]