While the pandemic hit hard and all movement was restricted to our homes, most of us felt discomforted by the new mode of functioning. Little did we realize that for the people on daily wages, life came to a total standstill, with no income coming into their homes. And if they had children with Special Needs, the kids had practically nothing to keep them gainfully occupied. The online classes would teach them vocational skills, but putting them into practice and actually making something that could be a crafted item, was impossible because they did not have the raw material for it. Most parents could not afford to buy the raw material on their own.

That’s when ACWF, with the kind help of Profinity Systems( Chennai), launched their “Vocational Training Kits” project. We put together Vocational Kits, each with different types of raw material for the students, depending on their ability and interest. Under the able guidance of the teachers from the various vocational training centres and schools, we tailor-made each package to contain supplies of all the raw material that the child could use in the year ahead. This would help the children create their product, whilst being guided by their online classes, and have the product ready for display and sale.

ACWF handed out the kits to the children and their teachers at Jyotirmay Skill Training Centre for the Specially-Abled (Vile Parle, Mumbai) and Sevadaan Special School (Chembur, Mumbai). The students were overwhelmed! Their joy at being empowered with these kits, was priceless.