Stars, Czars & Commoners for a cause

The Return of the Great Walkathon 2008

"Dignity and Justice for all of us" is the theme given by the UN for The World Disabled Day 2008, which is observed on 3rd December. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, making the commemoration of World Disabled Day all the more relevant.

With 10% of the world's population being differently abled, and a majority of this population living in the developing countries, creating awareness & sensitizing the public about this issue becomes very imperative.

Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled is planning to mark this day by organizing the Great Walkathon yet again, a feat it has been regularly conducting since 2005, with the help of corporates and patrons.
The event will be held at Sri Kanteerava Stadium on the 6th of December, 2008.

Walkathon is a platform to bring together people from different walks of life along with the differently abled and create a feeling of solidarity. An opportunity for common people to walk the talk with celebrities, CEOs, company head honchos, and film stars, - for a cause.

"We have been able to host this classic event successfully for the last three years because of tremendous help from the corporate world. This year too, we look forward to the kind support from corporates and individuals like you in making "The Great Walkathon 2008" a tremendous success," said Mahantesh, managing trustee.

The organizers expect about 25,000 participants to be a part of this event, including around 300 institutions, schools, colleges and corporates.

Samarthanam Trust for the Disabled, an Associate Member of the World Blind Union,
Geneva, was registered as an NGO on February 26, 1997. Three visually challenged young graduates started the Trust with the initial objective of providing hostel and education facilities to visually impaired girls pursuing their studies after tenth standard.

Over the years, the Trust has expanded its horizon to include various projects for rehabilitating physically and economically challenged students also. Besides getting them admitted in various prestigious colleges in the city of Bangalore, the trust also provides the visually challenged students with reader and scribe services, academic and professional counseling and hands on training in computers.

Awards Conferred on Samarthanam
* Regional winner of the India NGO award 2006, conferred by the Resource Alliance in
partnership with The Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation

* Governor's award for excellence in the year 2002

* Invited to represent India at the 7th General Assembly of The Blind Union; Geneva in August 2008. Samarthanam was conferred an Associate Membership by Mr. Eric Pervez, Secretary General, World Blind Union.

What it does:
* Free Hostel and educational facilities for 200 visually impaired, physically and
economically challenged children

* Partners in IED (Integrated Education for the Disabled) programme: 22 fully trained
resource teachers assist in the identification and rehabilitation of over 453 disabled
children from various regular schools.

* Vidya Prasad: Provide midday meals to 35,000 children in more than 135 government
schools

* TechVision: a project imparting vocational training to the challenged and assisting in
placements

* Parisara: Dry waste management department -for collection of newspaper, plastic
and e-waste from MNC, Apartment Blocks and recycling them in a safe and scientific
manner

* Swadhar: A home for women in distress, started in collaboration with the Department of Women and Child Welfare.

* Free residential high school: A free residential school for children from classes 8 to 10 was set up in 2004 to cater to the needs of local children in Hulimavu rural area of Bangalore.

* Samarthanam Sunadha is the cultural wing of Samarthanam, and consists of accomplished singers, dancers, instrumentalists and mimics who have performed not only in India, but also at various foreign venues.

* School Adoption and setting up of libraries in government schools in collaboration
with Hippocampus, Bangalore and Child Vikas International, US, to inculcate good
reading habits in children.

* Placement cell: Samarthanam has been instrumental in helping several visually
impaired and physically challenged students to find opportunities in various companies.

* Vocational training and English speaking courses for visually impaired

* Imparting training in academics, sports, dance and music.

* Conducting workshops and seminars in collaboration with the government to ensure
that the differently-abled are successfully integrated into mainstream society.
Over the years, the event has been supported by various corporates, like Philips Software,
Thomson Electronics, Spheris, TESCO, TATA ELXSI, HP, Titan, Britannia, 24/7
Customer, HAL, NICE, Infosys and Wipro. It has been graced by Hon. Minister for
Planning Dr. M V Rajashekharan, corporate leaders like Mr. Bob Hoekstra, CEO Philips
Software; Mr. Ashok Soota, Chairman, Mind Tree Consulting; Mrs. Meena Ganesh, CEO
of TESCO; Mr. Ananth Koppar, President, Mphasis to name a few.

The organizers appeal to corporate houses, businesses, schools, colleges, and individuals to contribute generously to make the event a big success. All contributions above Rs.250,000 will be acknowledged publicly on the day of the Walkathon. IT exemption is available for all donations under section 80G.
The organisers' estimate of the cost of organizing this event is Rs 32.20 lac, including transportation cost for 7,500 disabled, publicity, ambulance, medical care & first aid, food for physically challenged & volunteers, T-Shirts for participants, etc.

The funds generated out of the event will be used for the trust's welfare activities.
Samarthanam can be contacted at # 11, Villa Suchita, 1st cross,  17th 'A' main,  Behind Giri Apartments, JP Nagar 2nd phase,  Bangalore - 560078, Ph: 26592999 / 26591488, Event Coordinator - 9449864785.