From training women to be financially independent to rescuing stray animals – the top Social Stories of the week
This week, SocialStory ran inspiring stories of people creating an inclusive space for minorities and a startup for sustainable fashion. We also wrote about an animal-rescuer who has rescued more than 6,000 animals.
The struggles of underdogs and their journey to the top never fail to inspire us. And, SocialStory aims to bring you the best of these stories.
Sugdi Devi from Rajasthan was struggling to make ends meet, but thanks to the Gramin Vikas Evam Chetna Sansthan, she is now empowering more than 11,000 women with skills. Meanwhile, Atypical Advantage is creating an inclusive art community for people living with disabilities.
This week, SocialStory also celebrated World Autism Day and discussed why Indian companies need to be more inclusive, with this year’s theme being “Inclusion in the Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities in a Post-Pandemic World”.
Here are the top Social Stories of the week:
This artisan is training other women in rural India to be financially independent
Sugdi Devi (in the pink odhni) walks the runway with models wearing designs using her work,
During the Partition, Sugdi Devi was among the millions who left their homes in Sindh to build their dream life in Independent India. She settled down in Dhanau in Rajasthan. Times were difficult for her family and after her wedding, the family struggled to survive, depending solely on her husband’s family.
Founded in 1988 by Vikram Singh, the Gramin Vikas Evam Chetna Sansthan (GVCS) has been actively empowering rural women in Rajasthan since 2006, making them financially independent. Sugdi Devi also took the Skill Development Training programme, learnt the hand embroidery skill, to become a Master Trainer and has since helped over 11,000 women at the GVCS.
How artists with disabilities are showcasing their work on these online platforms
Karishma with a painting titled Ganpati Bappa Morya.
Image: Artist's website
Access to a sustainable livelihood is one of the major challenges faced by people living with disabilities. The artist community is no exception. There are barriers separating artists with disabilities such as finding people to represent them or being able to communicate with potential buyers. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has only widened this gap.
Enter platforms like Atypical Advantage, which serve as spaces where these artists can showcase their work and interact with buyers, who can also commission their work to suit their requirements. Each of the artists listed on the platform has a phenomenal story to share and the talent to turn any ordinary canvas into magic.
Bengaluru startup is making fashion sustainable in every sense
Some of the vibrant and sustainable fashions by The August Company
As a child, Vidhi Singhal was very passionate about fashion. In fact, in 2017, she quit her corporate job to start The August Company — a sustainable fashion startup — in Bengaluru. But after reading about the kind of pollution in the earth and the need for sustainability, she wanted to do more than just make money.
To further that mission, the startup is now working on the three pillars of sustainability — social, economic, and environmental. The August Company’s workforce comprises 90 percent of women. In fact, it pays fair wages and fixed salaries to all its employees. The startup ensures its products are environment-friendly and makes accessories with remnant fabrics. It also uses sustainable materials like waste paper for packaging purposes.
World Autism Awareness Day: Why Indian companies need to be more inclusive to people on the autism spectrum
According to the National Health Portal of India, an estimated 18 million people in India are believed to be living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a group of developmental disabilities involving social, communication, and behavioural challenges.
Despite the significant number of people living with autism, there is very little awareness about the developmental disorder in the country, leading to exclusion in schools, colleges, the workplace, and society.
With the theme of this year’s World Autism Awareness Day being “Inclusion in the Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities in a Post-Pandemic World”, it is crucial to bridge the gap at the workspace and provide employment opportunities to the thousands who are living on the autism spectrum and enter the workplace every year.
This animal-lover started an NGO that has rescued more than 6,000 animals in Karnataka
Nikitha Iyer
After learning about how cruel society is to stray animals, Nikhita Iyer from Ballari (Bellary) started CARE (Conservation And REscue) in 2012, which is now called Humane World for Animals (HWA). It is working to create a compassionate community by encouraging people to take care of the animals in their surroundings.
With a small team of five people, it has rescued over 6,000 animals to date - including dogs, cats, cows, pigs, birds, and sometimes, wildlife (macaques, snakes, and bears) with the help of the local forest department, stabilised them, and shifted them to Bengaluru for specialised care if required.
Edited by Teja Lele