Abilities Mela

BCF pilots the concept of Abilities Mela in Delhi in 2004 and 2006 & in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) in 2005. Now operational in 7 states, including Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh) and Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh),Latur(Maharashtra),Kochi(Kerala) and (Bihar) ,working in partnership with two hundred organisations. Abilities Mela has been supported by Small Grants Scheme of the World Bank, NTPC, KCIL, National Trust in past and presently by Cordaid.

The primary objectives were to showcase and celebrate the skillsets of the differently-abled, to open up employment opportunities for them by providing access to markets, livelihoods, mobility, physical access, awareness raising of the public etc.

Abilities Mela Manual an open resource manual on the various aspects of organisation of the Abilities Mela based on the experiences of the eight melas held so far in four states.

Click here for detailed report on Abilities mela 2007

Concept Note

Project Concept and Aim:

The drivers of change in the corporate sector are not just financial parameters but equally important drivers are transparency, accountability, equity, integrity, social and environmental responsibility. Indian corporates have begun to adopt the right measures of corporate governance in order to sustain and grow. Through the proposed project BCF intends to bring the issue of disability centrestage within the CSR framework to strive for both wage and self employment.

The disabled in India constitute 1 –2 % of India’s population which works out to around 21.92 million people and the oppurtunities of employment and self-employment are quite minimal. According to National Sample Survey (NSS 1991) more than 7 million employable disabled people were still waiting for a job. The average percentage of employees with disabilities is only 0.4%.

Objectives:

• The primary objective of the project is to provide a common platform to NGOs and networks working on disability issues across disabilities to come together to lobby for a inclusive society
• Provide a single window of information, opportunities for training & livelihoods
• Marketing products created by the challenged persons to enable better quality of life for the disabled by providing access to markets, livelihoods and mobility.
• Sensitizing companies, students, CSOs & the public on disability issues and enable cooperation to fulfill the corporate responsibility.
• Matching skills to opportunities through the website (and links) of disabled CV bank.

Background & Progress:

This initiative has already made headway with five Abilities Melas having been organised, three in Delhi in July 2004, April 2006, February 07 and two in Chennai in January 2005 & January 2007.

The first mela in Delhi was organised by BCF and BRA (Blind Relief Association), which brought 47 organizations working for the differently abled together on a common platform. The second mela was organised in Chennai by Schizophrenia Research foundation (SCARF) in January 2005 where 33 organizations participated. The third mela was organised jointly by BCF, BRA, FICCI-SEDF and Brotherhood. Kanoria Chemicals & Industries Ltd (KCI) & National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd (NTPC) provided the funding support for the same where 46 organizations participated.

The fourth mela was organized by AIKYA School for Special Children in collaboration with BCF and Lions Clubs International, where.38 organizations participated. The fifth mela was organized in Delhi jointly by BCF, BRA, FICC-SEDF, Saburi, Brotherhood & Deafway where 50 organizations participated.

There is interest in other cities such as Banglore where inclusion through Kala Madhyam’s annual mela can be facilitated. It is being planned to make these melas an annual feature in each of these cities. Though efforts are being made to make it as self financed venture by the NGOs themselves, it needs partial funding to consolidate its initial efforts and learnings before it can take on to its own feet.

Project activities:

The proposed activities are:

Melas (Exhibition of goods produced by disabled persons):

Exhibitions will be organised to showcase the products/ goods produced by the differently abled. This will highlight the skills of the persons and will enable expansion of market for their products. As an increased motivation a few disabled master craftsmen will also be invited.

Some of the highlights of previous mela include exhibition on assistive devices for the differently abled put up by the School of Planning and Architecture. NTPC stall disseminated information on its unique self-employment scheme for the hearing and visually impaired Product sales touched on an average Rs.2 lakhs per mela, producers came in direct touch with customers & got feedback to improve product range.

Workshop / Panel discussions:

Through the mela experience workshops would be organised on issues for which NGOs seek support especially under areas of product design and development. In previous melas, following workshops were organised:

• NID Workshop on Product development and diversification.
• NIFT Workshop on Packaging, Product design and Marketing
• Workshop on barrier free environment and tourism by Samarthya.
• Workshop on Advocacy and Employment by NCPEDP.
• Workshop on Inclusive opportunities by AADI.

A collective discussion was organised by Balloons to share the experiences of the garment exporters who have been employing PWDs, training institutions, persons with disabilities and media representatives.

Panel discussion on ‘Universal Design & Inclusive Society’ organized by Samarthya with eminent panelists from the School of Planning & Architecture.

Anubhuti Consultants organised an interactive session of the industry and NGO representatives with the differently abled employed in various capacities.

Group discussions with parents, professionals on topics like behaviour management, communication & speech, recreation, sports etc.

Films / Cultural programmes:

The mela would disseminate a variety of information on disability through the exhibition of award winning films on disability; quiz competitions organized with special schools, painting competitions, music 7 dance programmes etc.

Participant presentation:

The mela would serve to be a networking platform for organizations across the disability sector. This would provide an opportunity for each participant organization to present their work/initiatives and in the process learn from each other.

Abilities Mela Manual:

The working group in Delhi proposes to design and develop a ‘How to do manual’ for the mela. The document will be shared with disability groups in different cities across the country.

Outcomes:

The concept of Abilities Mela proposes to achieve the following outcomes. The three melas so far have initiated the process for achieving the same:

• Better markets for good/products made by the differently abled.
• Product diversification and upgradation through workshops and customer feedback.
• Better employment oppurtunities for the differently abled through online CV database, placements through Anubhuti Consultants, interaction with industry and NGO representatives etc.
• Increased sensitization among the companies and civil society on disability as an issue through documentation of the effort, dissemination of information and demonstration of skills and expertise at the mela. The Delhi Abilities Mela 2006 witnessed increased participation by corporates like NTPC, Yes Bank, Kotak Mahindra bank etc.
  

The ultimate outcome is to look forward to a self financed “Abilities Mela” as an annual feature in Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and other cities from 2006 onwards. The idea is to keep it low cost and replicable so that it can be held all over the country by local groups ultimately to showcase abilities and strengths of the differently abled.

The Mela provided a single window of information on organizations working across Disabilities for the general public, many of whom found it an eye opener.A rural NGO working with the visually impaired from Uttar Pradesh attended with their children & this opened a door of opportunities for them – they were able to take back PCs, training to use them, contact with BRA & other organizations working with the issue of blindness.