What Did I Do?- Disability Among Blue Collar Workers

Welcome to Where The Chasm Is Bridged, a podcast by Behind The Scenes, an NGO aimed towards working for Dignity of Labor.  Disability can be of different kinds. According to the Census survey, it has been categorized into 5 categories, namely, visual impairment, mobility impairment, mental impairment, speech impairment and hearing impairment. According to the International Labor Organization, 4-5% of India’s population is said to be affected by one or more of these disabilities. Due to the sheer size of India’s population, even a small percentage can lead to a population of several millions. There are many people who are stigmatized for being disabled and are not allowed to tap into their full potential.  Mrs. Shashi Azad is the National Vice Chairperson of the Mahila and Bal Vikas campaign of Bharat Vikas Parishad. Ma’am is also working as President of Mahila samiti of Vanvasi Raksha Parivar foundation which focuses on helping women in the tribal area. She has been working in this field for many years now, along with her husband. Through Bharat Vikas Parishad, ma’am has helped many disabled people by providing them with artificial limbs. In the lockdown too, she worked hard to give food to workers and the people in their vicinity, both through the organization and in her personal capacity.