Indian-American NGO Raises $100,000 for Disabled People in India

VOSAP founder Pranav Desai encourages NRIs to send help to the most vulnerable in India 

(Photo Courtesy: Googleimages)

A Los Angeles-based Indian-American not-for-profit organisation has raised 1,00,000 USD through social media to help people with disability in India amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

The organisation will use the funds to provide specially abled people with PPE kits, groceries and other items of necessity.

"The most vulnerable in the society – people with disabilities (children or senior citizens or adults with disabilities) – have been hit hard in terms of the death toll, loss of economic activities and struggle for survival," said Voice of Specially Abled People (VOSAP) 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.

VOSAP has partnered with BPA (Blind People Association) in Gujarat and started executing their objectives in Gujarat, Belagavi (Karnataka) and Nagda in Madhya Pradesh. They are also expanding to Pune and Hyderabad, with volunteers helping people in their respective cities, reported PTI.

VOSAP is a global advocacy organisation started by Pranav Desai, an Ahmedabad born, Indian immigrant. Desai was affected by polio, which later motivated him to work for the inclusion of people with disabilities.

Desai has on multiple occasions requested NRI donors to ensure that their help and donation reaches the most vulnerable sections of the people. He told the PTI, “VOSAPians are also encouraging their strategic donors and foundations who have donated millions of dollars during COVID-19 relief efforts to ensure that 10 percent of their donated oxygen concentrator machines, among others, are allocated to help the specially abled people.”