Social entrepreneurs help people with disabilities

Varalakshmi, a resident of Dasarahalli, used the helpline to avail groceries. The lockdown has been stressful for her family as both, she and her husband, are unemployed currently. 

Social entrepreneurs Vishnu and Vishal Soman started a volunteer helpline 'Volunteers vs Covid 19' to help people with disabilities in Bengaluru during the lockdown. "Accessibility is an issue for this community even without the lockdown. So, we wanted to help them with their basic necessities," says Vishnu.

They created a system that allowed them to help, while complying with the lockdown rules. "We created a virtual volunteer network. We use existing services such as Dunzo, Swiggy Go and Lalamove India to deliver essentials," says Abhishek S, a volunteer.

There are 58 volunteers involved, spread across Attibelle to Yelahanka and Nagasandra to KR Puram.

Who gets help?

"A mom in Nagasandra wanted medicines to be delivered to her son with autism at Jayanagar. These are the problems we aim to tackle," explains Abhishek.

The group focuses on delivering cooked food and groceries in addition to medicines. They also try to provide items free of cost, for those with financial difficulties.

They have a vetting process to ensure that nobody tries to take advantage. "It usually happens on the same day. If the delivery is not urgent, we ask them to wait up to two days," Vishnu says.

As of April 22, they have helped 2,674 people, with an average of 10-15 deliveries a day. "We have also had transpeople and daily wage earners reach out," he shares.

The virtual setup is not without its pitfalls. "Coordinating can be challenging, and time-consuming. There have been instances where able-bodied people have tried to use our service. We have minimised this to a large extent," says Abhishek.

A group that understands

Sashikala, a visually-impaired woman who resides in a PG at Chamrajpet, says she found out about the helpline through WhatsApp. "I needed groceries, a pressure cooker, and an induction stove — it was all delivered the same day," she says.

Madhumitha Venkataraman, founder of Diversity Dialogues, was already familiar with Vishnu. "While there are many groups working towards helping people, none of them catered to this particular population. There was a need for one that had been created by people who understand disability and is adept at its nuances," she says.

Knowing sign language, or the importance of medicines makes them more suited to address specific needs. "Many people with disabilities reach out to me for help. So far, whoever I have directed to the group, has received the help they needed," she adds.

Reach them on their helpline number 90196 63172