Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled

Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled is an organisation that works with persons with disabilities and underprivileged communities across India. It was started in Bengaluru in 1997 on the belief that access to education, skills and dignity should not depend on disability or financial background. The Trust supports children and adults with visual, hearing and multiple disabilities, and focuses on education, skill development and self-reliance. Its founder describes the goal as a society where persons with disabilities are potential taxpayers, not dependents. Beyond disability, it also works in women empowerment, environment, inclusive sports, and health and nutrition. Much of this work is delivered with corporate partners through CSR funding.

Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Major Areas of Work

• Education: inclusive education for children with disabilities and underprivileged children, backed by scholarships, assistive devices and academic support.

• Livelihood: vocational skills, digital literacy and entrepreneurship training that helps youth and adults move into stable employment.

• Inclusive sports and arts: blind cricket and other sports for visually impaired players, plus music and dance training for artistes with disabilities.

• Health, rehabilitation and assistive technology: nutrition support including mid-day meals, rehabilitation, and assistive technology for persons with disabilities.

• Women empowerment and environment: grassroots work with women, alongside dry waste management and tree planting.

Major Initiatives and Programmes

• Job-Oriented Training Program: employment-focused skills training open to youth both with and without disabilities.

• Samarthanam Institute of Music and Performing Arts (SIMPA): the Trust's institute for music and performing arts, part of its work supporting artistes with disabilities.

• Scribe Connect: a platform that connects students with disabilities to scribes for exams, with the aim of making scribe support free, reliable, accessible and verified.

• Blind cricket: promotion and support of cricket for visually impaired players as part of the Trust's inclusive sports work.

• Mid-day meals: meals for schoolchildren, provided under its health and nutrition work.

• Dry waste processing: processing and segregation of dry waste, run alongside tree planting under its environment work.

Impact

Samarthanam states that more than 34,000 students have received education through its programmes and over 55,000 youth have received livelihood training, with 72% placed. Its own site also cites more than 30 million mid-day meals served, over 30,000 visually impaired cricketers reached, and more than 150 companies supporting its work through CSR.

Partners

• Corporate supporters: Microsoft, Oracle, Adobe, HSBC, Barclays, Standard Chartered, Morgan Stanley, Societe Generale, ANZ, HDFC Bank, IndusInd Bank, LIC, Tesco, Otis, Nike, Godrej, ABB, Aramco, Merck, JLL, Unisys, DXC Technology, L&T Technology, Western Digital, ZS, FIS, NV5, Avanse, GKN Aerospace, Citi Foundation and Atos Prayas Foundation, among others.

• Partner organisations: Charities Aid Foundation, United Way, Accessible India, Deshpande Foundation, Mitram Foundation, Voice of Speciality and Guru Krupa.

Leadership

• Dr. Mahantesh G Kivadasannavar, Founder Chairman

Samarthanam runs a wide range of programmes, from classrooms and skills training to blind cricket, performing arts and waste management. Staff work directly with persons with disabilities and see how inclusion works in education, employment and public life. Because so much of the work runs with large corporate CSR partners, it also gives exposure to how partnerships are managed and reported. It suits people interested in disability rights, livelihoods and CSR programme management, and those with skills in training, sports, music or community outreach.