What do we do?
Disability Awareness and Community Sensitisation
At Deal Foundation, we are committed to fostering equitable and inclusive development for all. We provide information, advice, training, and support to raise awareness on disability rights and related issues, including:
Key Achievements
2024-2025
4000
Worked with 4000 persons with disabilities and 1300 woman members to promote disability awareness and community sensitisation.
200
Established networking links with 200 Panchayat Raj Institutions across Gadag District.
Established
The Swavlambhan Change Makers Annual Award to recognise and celebrate micro enterprises run and managed by persons with disabilities and women members.
Disability Inclusion
India continues to make strides in disability inclusion, having ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) in 2006. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 expanded protection from 7 to 21 disability categories, reflecting the nation’s commitment to empowering over 70 million persons with disabilities—more than 10% of India’s population (World Bank figures).
Key Achievements:
-Established two disabled persons cooperative societies with 1000 shareholders across Mundergi and Gadag.
-Worked with 4000 persons with disabilities to access financial inclusion services and support including opening of bank accounts.
-Identified opportunities for, and supported persons with disabilities to, take part in trade exhibitions.
Resilience Research
At Deal Foundation, we focus on identifying Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and women living in crises and below the poverty line. Our efforts prioritize understanding individual needs to provide tailored livelihood support based on unique circumstances.
Using insights from our Sustainable Livelihoods Survey, we develop a comprehensive understanding of the socio-economic and disability context. This allows us to work closely with individuals and their families to create personalized livelihood plans and conduct regular monitoring and reviews to ensure sustainable progress.
We aim to drive research in the following areas from a disability perspective:
– Rural livelihoods and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
– Environmental health, occupational standards, and promoting decent work in agriculture and agribusiness.
– Food safety, security, provenance, and the role of blockchain technology in local markets.
Key Achievements
2023-2024
Establishment of three agri-based producer organizations.
Development of the Sustainable Livelihoods Research Framework.
Launch of the Sustainable Agriculture Community Conversations Project to foster inclusive discussions on rural livelihoods.
Sustainable Livelihoods
At Deal Foundation, we focus on building resilience and creating sustainable livelihoods for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and women members. Through our partner network, we provide skills, leadership, and entrepreneurship development training to promote income generation activities across various sectors.
Our training covers diverse areas such as agriculture, dairy farming, vermicomposting, horticulture, kitchen gardening, floriculture, apiculture, poultry, and goat and sheep rearing. We also support the start-up of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in tailoring, food processing, and other allied industries.
We work closely with households of PwDs and women from farming backgrounds to:
Reduce reliance on agriculture as the sole source of income.
Diversify farm-based income generation opportunities.
Improve natural recycling, soil fertility, and biodiversity.
Boost net profit growth and provide fixed income sources.
Enhance productivity, nutrition, and income levels for a better standard of living.
Key Achievements
2023-2024
Established the Parisara Samridhi integrated farm and environment education site at Mevundi.
Established three farmer producer organisations to undertake production, processing and value addition activities.
Developed the smart apiary training module for sustainable livelihoodsand living.
Financial Inclusion
At Deal Foundation, we are committed to enhancing access to finance for sustainable livelihoods, particularly for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and women members.
Financial inclusion is key to poverty alleviation and achieving inclusive development.
According to the Global Findex Database 2021, India is home to a significant portion of the world’s adults without access to formal banking. We address this gap by offering:
– Financial literacy and skills development training.
– Bank and market linkage support for income generation activities.
– Ongoing monitoring and course correction for financial success.
Key Achievements
2023-2024
4000 persons with disabilities and 1300 women members supported and engaged through local self-help-groups.
Established partnerships with network of Karnataka Credit Cooperative Bank and Karnataka Gramin Bank to provide access to finance for micro enterprise and entrepreneurship development.
Developed two Cooperative Societies run and managed by persons with disabilities.
Local Enterprise Development
At Deal Foundation, we support the development of individual and community-based start-up enterprises, including disabled cooperatives and women-led producer organizations. Our approach emphasizes capacity building to replace traditional beneficiary models with transformational services that foster community collaboration and deliver measurable social impact.
We focus on:
Key Achievements
2023-2024
Established a network of six Arambha Svaudyoug Kendra (enterprise start-up centers).
Launch of food production training in partnership with Mahatma Ghandhi RDPR University’s Food Science Technology Research Institute.
Creation of ‘JeevanKart’ A Social E-Commerce Platform
Capacity Building
At Deal Foundation, we focus on involving Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and women members to promote public accountability and social justice. By encouraging participatory approaches in the design and delivery of livelihood support programs, we aim to bridge the gap between consultation, collaboration, and empowerment.
Our approach leads to:
– Better alignment of needs with opportunities.
– Improved program efficiency and delivery.
– Achieving inclusive, equitable outcomes, and fostering community ownership for
long-term sustainability.
Join Us in Creating Change
Get involved in our mission to empower individuals with disabilities through entrepreneurship and skill development.