Mumbai, January 04, 2024: Axis Bank Foundation (ABF) marked a decade of dedicated efforts in empowering youths with disabilities across semi-urban and rural India. In collaboration with Youth4Jobs (Y4J), ABF has successfully trained over 24,000 youths facing challenges such as speech and hearing impairments, locomotive disabilities, and low vision, achieving a noteworthy 60% placement rate.
Dhruvi Shah, CEO, Axis Bank Foundation, said, “In our decade-long partnership with Youth4Jobs Foundation, we’re driven by a shared belief in inclusivity. Together we have been able to harness our collective strengths to successfully train and equip Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) with skills and confidence to enhance their transition and experience of the work ecosystem, making it more inclusive. Every success story, every individual we have empowered, underscores our commitment and the endless possibilities that lie ahead.”
The Sustainable Livelihood Programme, a joint initiative, facilitates comprehensive skill development for youths with disabilities. The WISE (Work Integrated Soft Skills and English) programme, a key component, equips them with the skills and confidence needed to secure jobs in mainstream sectors like retail, e-commerce, IT, hospitality, and other service industries. Additionally, the partnership emphasizes inclusivity by sensitizing employers through workshops.
Key Achievements Over the Past Decade:
- 958 employers actively participated in the placement process, hiring 15,466 youths with disabilities out of the 24,000+ trained individuals.
- Major sectors such as Retail, IT, and Hospitality witnessed active recruitment from notable companies like Amazon, Infosys, JIO, KFC, Reliance, Shoppers Stop, Zomato, and Accenture.
- 860 workshops sensitized 472 companies on the importance of inclusion, leading to a significant increase in first-time employers.
- Programme operations expanded from 2 training centres across 2 states to 22 centres in 16 states and Union Territories.
- Despite challenges posed by the two-year COVID-19 pandemic, all batches maintained an impressive placement rate.
- Participants experienced a 195% increase in income since the inception of the programme.
