SPJIMR Organizes Social Impact Awards 2007

SPJIMR Organizes Social Impact Awards 2007

This year the focus was on the success stories in the work done for the disabled sector by various organizations. The theme for Social Impact Awards 2007 was "Livelihood for the Differently Abled". The award ceremony was attended by various dignitaries from the social and corporate sector like Mrs. Rufina Fernandes, CEO of the NASSCOM Foundation,

Col. S. R. Yeri, CEO of the Queen Mary's Technical Institute for the Disabled Personnel of the Armed Forces and Mr. Ketan Kotari, Assistant Director of the National Association of the Blind.

The theme of this years social impact award was livelihood for the differently-abled. As part of the process, entries were invited from various NGOs and individuals who have been providing livelihood opportunities to the differently-abled people. The response was overwhelming and to see the large quantum of work done by these organizations in the disability sector was very humbling. It was difficult to select only few organizations amongst them, as all of their work was very commendable.

This year there were three winners, instead of one, due to the excellent work done by all the three. The criteria put forth by the jury in selection of the award winners is Adversity Quotient, Livelihood / Employment Opportunities, Degree of Compassion, Sustained Performance, Institutionalization, Content.

The three winners and their brief introduction is as follows: -

Helpers of the Handicapped

This is an organization set up in Kolhapur working for total rehabilitation of persons with disabilities for more than 22 years. It's headed by two dynamic ladies. Their President, Naseema M. Hurzuk, is a wheel-chair bound paraplegic for last 40 years. Their Vice President, Mrs. Rajani Deshpande, is polio afflicted using crutches. Miss Naseema Hurzuk is the recipient of Outlook Speak-out Award 2005 from Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, FICCI Award 2005 from Dr. Manmohan Singh. She has also written her autobiography named 'Naseema'.

Together with like-minded people, they have undertaken a crusade for rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. They provide free medical aid, hostel facilities and school education to boys and girls and vocational training and employment to adult school drop outs and illiterate physically handicapped men and women.

Shri Pragna Chakshu Mahila Seva Kunj

Shri Pragna Chakshu Mahila Seva Kunj is an NGO devoted to the upliftment of blind girls. The organisation is committed to the welfare survival, protection, participation, development and empowerment of under-privileged poor girls with impaired vision.

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Contributed by -
Meghana Kedar (Campus Associate),
PGDBM, 2006-08,
S. P. Jain Institute of Management & Research, Mumbai.

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