COVID-19 aid: Indian-American NGO raises USD 1,00,000 for specially abled people in India

WASHINGTON: An Indian-American non-profit body has raised USD 100,000 to help specially abled people in India tide over the impact of the second wave of COVID-19.

Los Angeles-based 'Voice of Specially Abled People' (VOSAP) said Monday that it has raised close to USD 100,000 to help people with disabilities in India by providing them grocery, PPE kits, among others, during the pandemic.

Most vulnerable in the society – people with disabilities (children or senior citizens or adults with disabilities) - have been hit hard in terms of death toll, loss of economic activities and struggle for survival, the NGO said in a statement.

So far, over 4,500 grocery and PPE kits have been distributed in India with a goal to reach 10,000 specially abled people, a media release said.

Relief efforts are being carried out with execution partner BPA in India in various districts of Gujarat, Belgavi in Karnataka and Nagda in Madhya Pradesh.

It is also being expanded to Hyderabad and Pune as more and more VOSAPians around the country are helping 'Divyangjan' in their respective cities and communities.

"VOSAPians are also encouraging their strategic donors and foundations who have donated millions of dollars during COVID-19 relief efforts to ensure that 10 per cent of their donated oxygen concentrator machines, among others, are allocated to help the specially abled people," said Pranav Desai.

"Every NGO or NRI donor is requested to ensure that their help and donations reach the most vulnerable during this pandemic," he said.

VOSAP has Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Counci (ECOSOC).

It has over 10,700 registered volunteers and they are empowered with two digital tools, developed by VOSAP to accelerate ground-level impact to mainstream specially abled people and accelerate achieving UN SDGs by 2030.