In 2023, the staff of the Disabled Entrepreneurship and Leadership initiative launched an awareness campaign to identify persons with disabilities and women across various regions of Gadag district. Through this initiative, it was observed that disability remains a persistent challenge. Additionally, many persons with disabilities have been deprived of education, opportunities, and employment. However, with proper guidance and access to opportunities, they can establish their identity and gain recognition in society.
After gathering this information through surveys, the Deal Foundation set a goal to empower persons with disabilities, women, and unemployed youth from both rural and urban areas, particularly those below the poverty line, to build self-sustainable livelihoods. With a strong commitment, the foundation aimed to actively engage persons with disabilities and women in various productive activities, enabling them to achieve financial independence and social inclusion.
To achieve this objective, the Deal Foundation appointed Livelihood Officers in each taluk to identify and survey persons with disabilities and women. These officers provided information about the foundation’s initiatives, facilitated the formation of self-help groups, and conducted various employment training programs to guide them toward self-sustainable livelihoods. One such self-help group is the Jai Shri Ram Vikala Chetana Self-Help Group from Sintarayanakere village in Kadampur, Mundaragi Taluk.
Regarding this self-help group, Renuka Kallahalli, the Livelihood Officer of Mundaragi Taluk, gathered information about persons with disabilities in Sintarayanakere village through the relatives of Devakka Talawar, who works at the Deal Foundation’s self-employment center. After visiting the village, Renuka identified 15 persons with disabilities, the majority of whom were children with intellectual disabilities. She then met with their mothers, informed them about the activities of the Deal Foundation, and introduced the concept of self-help groups, encouraging them to form one.
Subsequently, a group of 10 members was formed and named the Jai Shri Ram Vikala Chetana Self-Help Group. When they attempted to open an account at Kadampur Corporation Bank, the bank manager refused, questioning who would be responsible for loan repayments since the children had intellectual disabilities. Despite Renuka’s persistent efforts, the manager did not approve the account. Later, with the support of the Deal Foundation, a Suraksha Cooperative Society was established in Mevundi village specifically for persons with disabilities. The self-help group successfully opened their account there and has been traveling to Mevundi every month to deposit their savings.
Renuka then provided the group with training in book writing, leadership, and disability awareness (2016), along with information about employment opportunities and various government schemes. After acquiring this knowledge, all the members decided to take a loan after six months and start their own businesses to improve their children’s lives.
Accordingly, after six months, all the members applied for a bank loan. Renuka prepared all the necessary documents, and the group secured a ₹50,000 loan from the Samrakshane Vikala Chetana Cooperative Society. Five members utilized the loan to start their businesses. Muttavva Pujari, whose daughter has an intellectual disability, took a ₹5,000 loan to start goat rearing. She is saving the income earned in her daughter’s name to secure her future. Gayatri Guruvina, who has a physical disability, wanted to prove that she could work and be independent. She took a ₹5,000 loan and set up a small petty shop in front of her house, becoming an inspiration for others with disabilities. Gourav Patil took a ₹25,000 loan to start a flower business. Coming from a poor family and raising a child with an intellectual disability, he and his wife are working hard to secure their children’s future. Similarly, Iravva Kanavi took a ₹5,000 loan to purchase cattle fodder and invested in agriculture-related work, improving her family’s financial stability.
In this way, the group members have taken loans and started their own businesses. They have also received various training programs from different departments through the Deal Foundation. The members of the Self-Help Group for Persons with Disabilities, along with the mothers of children with disabilities, have shared their thoughts on the benefits they have received from the foundation and the group. They expressed . “Our village is small, and many children here have intellectual disabilities. Before Renuka, through the Deal Foundation, identified us and formed this group, no one recognized our struggles. Thanks to this initiative, we can now save money in our children’s names, receive valuable training, and access employment opportunities. Although we were eager to work, we lacked financial support. Through this group, we have secured loans and started working, which has significantly improved our children’s lives.”
We sincerely thank the Deal Foundation and Renuka for providing us with valuable information and support. We hope to continue receiving encouragement and assistance in the future. Through its dedicated efforts, the Deal Foundation is actively working across every taluk to support persons with disabilities by providing training and financial assistance, helping them secure employment and achieve self-sufficiency. As a result, individuals with disabilities are gaining recognition and establishing their identities in society. They wholeheartedly wish for the continued success of the foundation, hoping it will expand its support to even more people and receive greater recognition for its remarkable work.
For any specific questions or assistance related to this blog, please contact Info@deal-foundation.com. To learn more about our work, visit www.deal-foundation.com.
Thank you!