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'Sapnon Ke Sawaari': Aahwahan’s Initiative To Transform Lives With Automated Wheelchairs

By TheCSRUniverse Team Published 23 Nov 2024

Bangalore, Nov 23, 2024: In its mission to transform lives and foster independence, Aahwahan Foundation has started an initiative, “Sapnon Ke Sawari”, aimed at empowering the underprivileged differently-abled community.

According to the 2011 census, locomotor disabilities accounted for 44.73% of all disabilities in India. Being confined to bed not only takes away a person’s freedom but also fosters a deep sense of dependence on basic needs, leading to guilt, shame, and poor mental health. People with disabilities often struggle with mobility, resulting in missed opportunities for education and employment.

Through this initiative, the foundation provides fully automated wheelchairs to people of all ages to restore their independence, paving the way for greater personal and professional inclusion, and enabling more independent lives. It is not just a device; it is a 'Sawari' — a vehicle of dreams, offering the chance to break free from the chains of immobility.

These advanced wheelchairs have empowered over 784 individuals, transforming not just their lives but also the lives of their families and communities. This year, the initiative aims to touch 1,000 more lives, restoring independence, dignity, and dreams to those once trapped by immobility. Through this initiative, beneficiaries are identified through ongoing social interventions, visits to rural areas, and collaborations with the neurology and orthopaedic departments of multi-speciality government hospitals and community welfare centres.

The wheelchair, once charged, allows users to navigate up to 30 kilometres, offering them not just a means of transportation but a symbol of empowerment and the possibility of a better life.

In partnership with CSR Initiative Partners, Team Aahwahan recently distributed 300 automated wheelchairs to beneficiaries at Victoria Government Hospital in Bangalore. This initiative has already brought hope and joy to many individuals, and with more efforts underway, the organization is just beginning to make a lasting impact on the differently-abled community.