If you happen to visit a McDonald’s outlet in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, you may be greeted with a warm smile by Viral Khamar. He may not be able to hear you or speak with you in English, Hindi or Gujarati, but Khamar is one of the dearest employees of the branch. And he cherishes his job more than anything.
Coming from a simple family living in Sabarmati, Khamar was always keen on contributing to the family’s income. But his speech and hearing impairment remained a barrier.
After his father passed away and elder brother moved out, he realised that he and his wife were completely dependent on his mother’s income.
And this thought bothered him every day.
This, until he came across Sai Swayam Society, an NGO that collaborates with Pankh. Sai Swayam Society is an organisation working for the upliftment of persons with disabilities to provide them with equal education and job opportunities.
Source: TRRAIN/Facebook
Pankh is an initiative started by the Trust for Retailers & Retail Associates of India (TRRAIN). It partners with local NGOs to help people with disabilities develop life skills and improve their employability.
“We tie up with local NGOs that work with Persons with Disabilities and announce training and employment opportunities through them. Through this collaborative model, Pankh and thus, TRRAIN, have successfully established a pan-India presence,” it says on Pankh’s website.
TRRAIN helps differently-abled people get respectable jobs in popular retail outlets such as McDonald’s, Brand Factory, Nature’s Basket, Reliance Trends, among others. The brands also get valuable employees who are eager to work hard.
Viral Khamar joined the Ahmedabad centre of the Sai Swayam Society in pursuit of a good job. He was enthusiastic and committed to his work and with the skills he received, he was soon placed at McDonald’s as a Trainee Crew Member.
Proudly earning Rs 8,000 per month, Khamar is not only managing his family’s expenses but is also able to save. Not only that, his impairments are no longer a barrier.
Accenture supports TRRAIN’S PANKH project which aims to train people with disabilities (PwD) and provide them with employment opportunities in the retail industry. The initiative aims to create sustainable livelihoods for the differently-abled and also promote inclusive growth in the retail sector. Currently, the program is designed to train and employ persons with speech and hearing disability and persons with locomotor disabilities. Many, like Viral, have benefitted from the initiative.
While the world might be silent for the hearing-impaired, Accenture and TRRAIN are providing them with a strong voice.
Watch the video to understand how this joint initiative helped two brothers, Kiran and Nithin, get jobs in Bengaluru.
To find out how New is doing Good, click here.
(Edited by Shruti Singhal)
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