Background

Even with data as old as the last Census (2011), the percentage of People with Disabilities (PwD) composed approximately 2.21% of the population, translating to around 2.68 crore people. Unfortunately, around 69.49% of that population hail from rural backgrounds, around 45.48% lack any formal education, and around 64% lack any employment.

The abovementioned metrics—rural backgrounds, lack of education, and lack of employment—combine to form significant obstacles (in the form of stable income and support systems) to a good quality of life for many in the PwD demographic. Added to that are the intersectional discriminatory struggles that women tend to face—hindering them from receiving quality education, social & political participation, and, consequently, employment opportunities and a stable livelihood.

With all of this in mind, there arises a growing need to put in place adequate support systems to skill disabled people—women from underserved communities in particular—to provide them with not only vocational training but also the means to achieve a livelihood.

This is where Threads of Hope steps in. Through measures to increase access to vocational training for such people—primarily through handicrafts such as sewing, weaving, and other techniques—Threads of Hope seeks to create tangible impact not only on disabled women’s employment opportunities but also on their empowerment and independence.