Free of cost for all Visually & Physically Challenged Students

About the Organization:
The children of farmers and laborers, mainly from rural areas of Maharashtra, come to NAWPC for college and other courses. Even today, the attitude of parents in rural areas towards the blind is negative. What is the use of educating such children? That is the question of parents. Rahul decided to work tirelessly for the future of such students and only with the help of philanthropists and organizations in the society it has been going on uninterruptedly for 22 years. Due to the poor condition and difficulties of the parents, the education of such students has to be borne by the institution. Parents send their children to the institute only if these students are given free admission. Recognizing that these children can learn as well as stand on their own two feet, the organization does not charge anyone. Students do not have to pay for admission. Students will be given the education they want. The only condition is that the students should participate wholeheartedly in the learning process. Students and their parents are interviewed in detail at the time of admission. Interviews take into account the child's interest in the field and similar technical and vocational education is imparted to the students along with the college education. The institute has the first computer training facility in Maharashtra for visually impaired boys and girls. The organization runs a 'Digital Library' with all the facilities. A special hostel for blind students is run by the organization. 25 - Blind students are making great use of this hostel. The hostel offers free milk, snacks, and two meals a day.

Issue:
Bhupendra Kachhwa, a blind boy from a farming family in a small village in Khandesh, lived in the hostel of the institute, took computer training at the institute, studied till BA and today he is working as an officer at State Bank of India. Bhupendra is not the only blind child in his family but also has a sister and an older brother. His elder brother Praveen also took computer training from NAWPC and today he is working as a senior officer in the Bank of Maharashtra. Vaishali, Bhupendra's sister is also a student of the institute, and today she is working in the Indian Postal Department. Many blind and crippled boys and girls who made good use of the activities of the organization for free made their lives brighter and are now working successfully in different places in a good way and have become self-reliant in their lives. For the holistic development of the students, the organization undertakes various annual activities such as organizing various competitions, and trips, organizing all the festivals, and health camps. If Rahul Deshmukh's wife Devata Andure-Deshmukh is not mentioned, the identity of the organization will remain incomplete. The deity hails from a well-to-do family in Beed district, Pune. In college, Rahul and Devta were both studying in the same class of art. The acquaintance as a classmate turned into a close friendship. Rahul's passion and many virtues were felt by Devta. Also, while watching and experiencing the work done by Rahul through the organization and the passion of the work, the deities played in his work. After completing his MBA, Devta started working for a reputed company. Later, when Rahul started working with the Bank of India, Devta quit her job realizing that the work of the organization should not be left behind. Rahul has so far been honored with more than 35 national and local awards for his work and social contribution. The institute runs a hostel for blind students. Currently, 25 students are living in the hostel. However, as the institution does not have its own space, it cannot provide dormitory facilities to more underprivileged students despite the need. If accommodation for blind students is arranged then many courses and activities can be started. The organization does not have any government grant and all the projects and activities under the organization are run free of cost. Therefore, it is a big challenge for Rahul and Devta to raise funds for all the activities.

Action:
The institute provides monthly and annual scholarships to the students. A recreation center has been set up within the institute to nurture the latent talents of the students. At the same time, competitive examination and bank examination classes are conducted in the institute. In addition, the institute conducts music classes, English conversation classes, personality development training classes, and yoga classes for the students. 150 - Students are taking various types of education in the institute. There are hundreds of examples of students who have graduated from the institute benefiting from the education and training at the institute. Many students have been appointed to good positions in banks, many have joined the government service, many have become professors, and teachers and some have become IAS, and IRS by giving UPSC.

Impact :
Rahul Deshmukh did not take education from the blind and disabled group but from the open group and got 12th, undergraduate, and postgraduate degrees. Also, each test has a name on the merit list. When Rahul started working in 1999 with the feeling and passion to do something for the welfare and future of the blind and underprivileged, he himself was studying in 12th standard. How can this self-blind twelfth grader do social work? He had to face many questions at that time. Rahul set up the National Association for the Welfare of the Physically Challenged (NAWPC) to help students become a self-reliant and mainstream society by overcoming the limitations of blindness and the underprivileged with the help of assistive technology. Work began within the organization. Through the institute, students were imparted the necessary technical and vocational education and training along with college education so that blind and underprivileged students can pursue higher education and pursue a career to their full potential. In the last 22 years, a total of 1650 blind, underprivileged and hearing-impaired students enrolled in the institute have successfully graduated from the institute with proper education and training. Today, all these students are living a good life on their own and are achieving great success in various fields.

Primary Cause :
Let's take a look at the National Association for the Welfare of the Physically Challenged (NAWPC), an organization started by a blind youth to bring underprivileged people into the mainstream of society by imparting skills and vocational education and training with the help of technology. An ambitious young man from an ordinary poor family in a rural area of Ahmednagar district, who dreamed of higher education after getting good marks in the Class X examination, came to Pune for education. It is true that he got admission to Pune for class XI, but he could not get there due to a delay in admission in the college dormitory. He could not afford to rent a room because he did not have money for a one-time meal, and other hostels had denied him for entering. He had great hopes for education, but the question of accommodation was getting in his way. This question would have been lost in this whirlpool and he would have gone back to his village. But instead, he did not get discouraged. He thought of an option to stay at platform number one at Pune railway station. He started his college education by taking shelter on this platform for the initial few days. The reason for the young man's refusal to enter another hostel was because he was blind and there was a general sense of denial that he did not want to be held responsible. The young man's name is Rahul Deshmukh. Facing the situation where he had to stay on the platform of the railway station, and the struggle to complete his education taught Rahul a lot. He had to endure many hardships and sufferings and this sensation gave Rahul a new lease on life.

Project Location(s):
Pune